American Recipes

Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon

Ingredients
3 pounds small red new potatoes (about 24)
kosher salt and black pepper
8 slices bacon
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon

Method

• Place the potatoes in a large pot.
• Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Drain and run under cold water to cool. Cut into quarters.
• Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool, then break into pieces.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
• Add the potatoes and celery and toss to coat.
• Fold in the parsley, tarragon, and bacon before serving.

Rosemary Corn Bread

Ingredients

2 8 1/2-ounce boxes corn-bread mix

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 8-ounce container plain yogurt

2 7-ounce cans whole-kernel corn, drained

1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves

Method

• Heat oven to 400º F. Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. 
• Stir all the ingredients together. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake 25 minutes or just until golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• When cool, cut lengthwise into 3 strips and then crosswise into quarters. Cut each square into 2 triangles. (The corn bread can be made ahead to this point. Remove from pan, wrap in foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.) To serve, thaw and reheat in the foil in a 325º F oven for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Blackened Tuna

Ingredients

6 fresh tuna steaks

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning, such as Schwartz or Bart Spices

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

Method

• Generously coat tuna with Cajun seasoning.
• Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over high heat.
• When oil is nearly smoking, place steaks in pan.
• Cook on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, or until blackened.
• Turn steaks, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Hamburgers With Oven Chips

Ingredients

1 pound new potatoes, sliced 1/8 inch thick

2 tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and pepper

1 pound ground beef

4 hamburger buns

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 pickle, sliced

1 small head butter lettuce

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

Method

• Heat oven to 400° F.
• In a bowl, toss the potatoes and oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill or grill pan to medium.
• Shape the beef into four 1-inch-thick patties.
• Season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium.
• Transfer the patties to buns and top with the mayonnaise, pickle, lettuce, and tomato.
• Serve with the chips.

Classic Cioppino

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 (400g) tins chopped tomatoes

100ml (4 fl oz) dry white wine

handful chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 dessertspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 bay leaf

24 clams

500g (1 1/4 lb) scallops

675g (1 1/2 lb) king crab legs

500g (1 1/4 lb) unpeeled, large prawns

Method

• Heat olive oil in a very large, heavy pot over medium high heat.
• Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft, stirring frequently.
• Pour in tomatoes and white wine, then season with parsley, basil, salt, pepper and bay leaf.
• Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer until liquid is reduced almost completely, about 1 hour.
• Add clams, scallops, crab legs and prawns to the pot.
• Cover, and cook over medium heat until clams open.
• Scoop portions into large bowls to serve.

Apple Crumb Pie

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, cold

3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 pound Cortland, Empire, or McIntosh apples

2 pounds Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) walnuts, finely chopped

For the topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of kosher salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

Method

• Make the crust. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and pulse to form a coarse crumble.
• While the motor is running, add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until smooth. Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle about 14 inches in diameter and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Using your fingers, fold over any overhang and crimp the edge. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Make the filling. Heat oven to 375° F.
• Peel, core, and slice all the apples 1/4 inch thick. Gently toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Spoon into the crust and sprinkle the walnuts over the top.
• Make the topping. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse to form a medium crumble (with pieces about the size of peas).
• Sprinkle the topping over the apples and walnuts. Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender.

Seafood Jambalaya

Ingredients

1½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, sliced

1 green or red pepper, seeded and cut into strips

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp mild chilli powder

340 g (12 oz) basmati white rice

900 ml (1½ pints) hot vegetable stock

1 can chopped tomatoes, about 225 g

3 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley

100 g (3½ oz) peeled large raw prawns

200 g (7 oz) skinned salmon fillet, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes

dash of Tabasco sauce (optional)

salt and pepper

Method

• Heat the oil in a large, wide pan over a moderately high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the celery, green or red pepper, garlic, ginger, cayenne, chilli powder and rice, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Pour in the hot stock and stir well, then reduce the heat so that the stock is simmering gently. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes with their juice and 2 tbsp of the parsley, then add the prawns and salmon. Cover again and simmer for 3–4 minutes or until the seafood is just cooked and the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and is tender.
• Add the Tabasco sauce, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tbsp parsley and serve hot.

Some more ideas:

Use brown rice instead of white. It will take 30–40 minutes to cook and will need about 150 ml (5 fl oz) more stock.

* For a pork and smoked sausage jambalaya, cut 200 g (7 oz) pork fillet (tenderloin) into thin strips and brown in 1 tbsp olive oil, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Add 1 chopped red onion to the pan and cook for 5 more minutes, or until almost soft. Stir in the rice and cook for 2–3 minutes, then pour in 750 ml (1¼ pints) vegetable stock.

Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in 1 can tomatoes with added peppers and basil, about 400 g, with the juice, and 200 g (7 oz) sliced courgettes. Cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Return the pork to the pan together with 115 g (4 oz) sliced smoked sausage and cook, covered, for 5 more minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Serve sprinkled with 2 tbsp chopped parsley.

Plus points

Prawns are low in fat and high in protein. They are also an excellent source of the antioxidant mineral selenium, which helps to protect the cardiovascular system.

* Salmon provides vitamins B6 and B12 and the minerals selenium and potassium.

* Of all types of rice, basmati has the lowest Glycaemic Index.

Griddled Chicken & Corn on the Cob Salad 

Ingredients
4 small skinles chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves , crushed
1 tbsp paprika
juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 corn cobs
4 Little Gem lettuces , quartered lengthways
½ cucumber , diced

Method

• Cut the chicken breasts in half length ways so you are left with 8 chicken strips.
• Mix the garlic, paprika, lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil with some seasoning and toss with the chicken. Leave to marinate for at least 15 mins.
• Heat a griddle pan and brush with half the remaining oil and cook the chicken for 3-4 mins each side until cooked through. Brush over the remaining oil and griddle the corn cobs, turning to cook evenly, for about 5 mins or until lightly charred. Remove and cut off the kernels.
• Mix the lettuce and cucumber, top with the corn and chicken, and drizzle over your choice of dressing.

Caesar Salad with Crispy Chicken 

Ingredients

4 crispy chicken thighs , sliced 

Extras

125ml light mayonnaise

juice 1 lemon

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

50g Parmesan , grated, plus extra to serve (optional)

1 garlic clove , crushed

50g croutons

1 large Cos lettuce or 4 Little Gem, ripped into pieces

Method

• In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, grated Parmesan and garlic, then season.
• When ready to eat, add the chicken slices, croutons and lettuce.
• Mix well and sprinkle with extra Parmesan, if you like.

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

250ml chilli sauce

250ml pineapple juice

125g crushed pineapple

4 tablespoons dark brown soft sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons mustard powder

1 pinch pepper

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

1 habanero or Scotch bonnet chilli, seeded and chopped

125ml whisky

Method

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onions, and saute until they are transparent.
• Stir in the garlic, wine vinegar, chilli sauce, pineapple juice, pineapple, brown sugar and lemon juice.
• Season with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, hot chilli sauce, and habanero chilli.
• Bring to the boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Stir in the whisky, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Home made Clarified Butter

Clarified Butter or also known as ghee is prepared by melting unsalted butter in low heat, filtering and discarding the milk solids. It is primarily used in Indian Cuisine as a substitute for Oil, It has high smoking point and stays for months without refrigeration, if stored in an air tight container.

Ghee is so flavourful and I love the way it fills every corner of the house with its divine aroma while making it or using it in cooking.
It also has excellent health benefits and it's widely used in Indian traditional medicines, along with herbs.

Benefits are:

• Can help relieve ulcers
• Easy digestion
• Can be used as a topical treatment for blisters, burns and cuts
• Reduces inflammation, internally and externally
• Helps improve the texture of the hair

Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter - 1 pack (at room temperature)

Preparation:

• Heat the heavy bottom pan, add the butter and heat in low-medium heat. Don't cover the pan.Don't Stir it.
• Allow the butter to melt completely until it turns in to Golden liquid and stars boiling.
• While boiling, a layer of foam may appear and gradually decreases, the milk-solid particles will settle down in the bottom layer of the pot. Continue heating in the same heat or simmer it for 10 mins
• When the Ghee becomes transparent golden liquid with less foam on the surface, Its ready.
• Over heating the ghee will turn in to dark brown.
• Transfer the ghee while its hot or warm to clean jar using the cheese cloth or steel tea strainer.
• Discard the Milk-solid layer at the bottom of the pot.
• At room temperature it becomes semi-solid. When its cold, it becomes solid.

Health Benefits of Snake Gourd

The Snake Gourd is a tropical vegetable of Indian origin and is known as Chichinga in Bengali, potlakaaya in Telugu, pudalankaai in Tamil, dhunduli in Assamese, paduvalakaayi in Kannada and padavalanga in Malayalam. The botanical name of the snake gourd is Trichosanthes anguiana. It’s a highly nutritious vegetable and is widely used in South Indian cuisine.

Its health benefits are:

• Snake gourd is a natural antibiotic, expectorant, and laxative.
• It has anti-inflammatory properties and can disperse phlegm, remove pus, expel toxic matter from the body
• It creates a cooling effect in the body.
• It enhances the processing of nutrition in the body and restores the normal function of the system.
• Snake gourd helps stimulate the production of body fluids, relieving dryness.
• An intake of Snake gourd is useful in reducing bilious fever.
• Snake gourd is considered useful in treating diabetes especially by those with Type-II diabetics to reduce weight and also at the same time get adequate nourishment.
• The juice of the fresh leaves of snake gourd is useful in the disorders of the heart like palpitation and pain in the heart on physical exertion.
• An intake of the decoction of the leaves is beneficial in the treatment of jaundice.
• The juice of the snake gourd leaves when applied to the scalp treating Alopecia, a disease of the scalp resulting in complete or partial baldness.
• Since its high in fiber it also relieves constipation.

Garnishing Ideas For Soups

Soups usually fall into one of three categories:

• Smooth
• Chunky
• Clear Broths

Chunky soups and clear broths often don't need garnishing other than perhaps a scattering of herbs, as the ingredients within them are usually decorative enough.  The beauty of clear broths is that all the pieces of meat, seafood or vegetables within the soup are clearly visible. 

On the other hand, smooth soups are a blank, flat canvas. They have so little variety in texture, colour and shape that they need something to give them a lift.
One way to add some texture to a smooth soup is to turn it into a sort of deconstructed chunky soup. 

The 'chunks' in this case are pieces of roast pumpkin and spicy chorizo and they are simply piled into the centre of the soup.  It breaks up the monotony of the flat surface by creating some height in the centre of the bowl and adds contrasting shapes.  You could also choose contrasting colours too.  The different flavours and textures also make the soup more interesting to eat.

A simple idea for a garnish is a swirl of yoghurt or as in the above recipe, a dairy free courgette cream, just drizzled over the surface of the soup then it is just finished off with a sprig of mint for extra vibrancy. A contrasting colour works best for this technique.

Another way of creating height and adding texture is to garnish with mini dumplings which don't have to be unhealthy. These ones are made using grated pumpkin. They not only add height but contrasting colour, texture and flavour too. And of course you can't really go wrong with a sprig of fresh herbs to add that final touch.

Some other ideas for garnishes include:

• Chopped herbs
• Sprigs or leaves of fresh herbs
• Vegetable ribbons
• A medley of diced vegetables
• Chiffonade of greens - tightly roll spinach, cabbage, chard or kale leaves and slice across the roll to form thin strips
• Ground or cracked spices
• Savoury scones
• Mini meatballs
• Slices of sausage or crispy bacon
• Baked wholemeal bread croutons

The main thing to remember is to add something that will break up the surface of the soup, so a different color  texture or shape will all help to make your soup look more enticing.

Benefits of Bitter Gourd

Bitter Melon/Gourd is the most bitter of all vegetables. It’s a tropical vegetable and is widely grown in South,Southeast Asia, China, Africa, and the Caribbean. The Bitter Gourd might be almost detested by most but it’s a panacea for many ailments. It’s also used in cuisines across
the world. It cures ailments such as:

Blood Impurities:  Bitter gourd juice cures blood disorders like blood boils and itching due to toxemia.  Its regular intake also cures psoriasis and other fungal infections like ring-worm and athletes feet.

Cholera:  Its juice is known to cure Cholera if taken in the early
Immunity and energy:  Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice improves energy and stamina level and increases resistance against diseases and infections.

Insomnia: It cures insomnia and also sleeping patterns have been shown to be stabilized.

Eye problems:  The high beta-carotene in bitter gourd makes eases eye problems and improves eyesight.

Hangover:  It is an antidote for alcohol intoxication. It is also nourishes and repairs the liver damage caused due to alcoholism.

Piles:  The juice of bitter gourd taken in the morning with buttermilk on an empty stomach cures piles and constipation.

Respiratory Disorders:  Its regular intake improves asthma, bronchitis and pharyngitis.

Diabetes Mellitus:  Bitter Gourd is highly beneficial in lowering sugar levels in blood and urine without increasing blood insulin levels. It contains a hypoglycemic or insulin-like component, which lowers the blood and urine sugar levels. Its juice taken on an empty stomach works wonders in Diabetics.

Benefits of Ash Gourd/ Winter Melon

The Ash Gourd also called white gourd or Winter melon is a native of South East Asia.  An uncut ash gourd has a shelf life for as long as 1 year. In North India and Pakistan, the vegetable is used to prepare a sweet called Petha. In South India it is used to make curries and lentil preparations. Its medicinal properties are eulogized in Ayurveda.

Obesity: Being extremely low in calories, the ash gourd is used to treat obesity since it increases metabolism and prevents sugar from converting into fat

Stomach ailments: It’s used to expel tapeworms. Because of its alkaline properties it’s beneficial in reducing acidity. It eases constipation and boosts digestive health.

Respiratory ailments: Its intake relieves conditions like Cough, common cold, fever, influenza, bronchitis, sinusitis and even asthma

Oral health: It’s believed to cure mouth cancer and keeps the teeth and gums healthy. It also cures bleeding gums.

Urinary infection: It cures urinary dysfunction and infection, removes presence of blood cells in the urine and washes out waste products from the body.

Healthy Hair: The peel and seeds of ash gourd, boiled in coconut oil and applied to the scalp are useful for hair growth, dandruff and dryness of the scalp.

Dosai/Idli Useful Tips

• When you grind the idly batter, the rice should be ground to a fine sooji rava consistency and not to a fine paste- gives a grainy texture hence prevents the idli from hardening. Urad dal batter should be really smooth and fluffy- it helps the idlis puff up.
• Fermentation is an important factor. A perfectly fermented batter yields softer the idlis and tastier the dosas.
• Use a well seasoned griddle for dosas to prevent sticking.
• If you are going to eat dosas hot and fresh, make thin crisp dosas. Be liberal with oil.If you are going to take it in your lunch box, make soft white dosas. Do not allow it to be crisp. Use less oil. Remember, for soft dosas, it is best to use only raw rice. Add parboiled rice or idly rice spoils the texture.
• Always remember, idly batter is thick, dosa batter is a little thin and oothapam batter is thinner. If you dilute your idly batter too much, you have hard idlis which are not fluffy. Even if you use a common batter, change the consistency accordingly by adding water and mixing it well.
• To aid fermentation in cold countries, preheat your oven to 200F and put it off. Place the vessel containing the batter on a plate (to collect the overflown batter in case it pours out) and keep oven closed overnight.
• You can add a ladleful of old dosa/idli batter to the fresh batter to aid quick fermentation.
• In countries/states where you don't get idli rice or boiled rice, here is a useful tip to convert your raw rice (any variety) into idli rice.
• You can use idli rava instead of grinding rice. Just grind the urad batter and mix with idli rava! However, the idlis will be like the udupi style ones, not like the smooth chettinadu style idlis.

Healthy Food Ingredients

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes — sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent — in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health: 

Turmeric: Cur cumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack. 

Cardamom: This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently. 

Chillies: Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies. 

Curry leaves: Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal. 

Garlic: An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats. 

Mustard oil: This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart. 

Cabbage: Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction. 

Moong dal: The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption. 

Honey: It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning. 

Buttermilk: It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss. 

Millets: Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats. 
Cinnamon and cloves: Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes. 

Italian Recipes

Linguine with clams

Ingredients (Metric & Imperial measurement) 
400 g (14 oz) Linguine pasta
500 g (1.1 lb) Fresh clams
60 ml (2 fl oz) Extra virgin olive oil
1 Dried chilli (medium hot)
1 Clove of Garlic
60 ml (2 fl oz) White wine
A handful of flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
Salt for seasoning
Ingredients (U.S. measurement) 
14 ounces Linguine pasta
18 ounces (1 pound 2 ounces) Fresh clams
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) Extra virgin olive oil
1 Dried chilli (medium hot)
1 Clove of Garlic
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) White wine
A handful of flat leaf parsley (roughly chopped)
Salt for seasoning

Method

• Firstly, we need to clean the clams. Put them in a large bowl and fill it with fresh water and then add some salt.
• Recreating this micro environment , they will open and start to eject the dirt and sands they have inside. 
• Leave them alone for a while
• After a couple of hours of salty water immersion, give them a good rinse under fresh running water.
• Then, put them into a very hot pan.
• Add the white wine, close the pan with a lid and let the heat (high heat) to open them all.
• Cook them until the are open and discard those that do not open at all. 
• With the pan closed, hold the lid down and shake the pan so that all the clams receive the same amount of heat; otherwise the ones that remain in the top may not open because the do not receive enough heat.
• When the clams open, they will release the liquid they have inside.
• Filter the liquid into a small bowl.
• Then, set the filtered liquid aside.
• Take 1/4 of the clams available, remove the meat and chop them.
• Then, chop the garlic and the chilli. 
• Sweat off the garlic and chilli together (medium heat).
• When the garlic starts to change colour, add the chopped clams.  
• Immediately after the chopped clams, add the rest of the clams.
• Now, raise the heat from medium to high and add the filtered water.
• Cook for about 5 minutes.
• About 30 seconds before turning the heat off, add the parsley and season with salt.
• Meanwhile your pasta was already boiling. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and add it to the pan containing the clam sauce.
• Toss and stir everything together on high heat for about 40 seconds.
• Serve it and remember, a good glass of chilled white wine is the perfect accompaniment.

Italian Verrines

Ingredients

Green layer

1 large zucchini

1 shallot

parsley leaves 

1/2 tsp olive oil 

salt and pepper

White layer

1 cup plain yougurt

basil leaves

1 bulb roasted garlic

salt and pepper

Red layer

2 medium red peppers

1 tsp oregano (dried is fine)

1 garlic clove

olive oil

salt pepper

Method

• Begin with red layer, since it requires the most time:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Place peppers on a jelly-roll pan. Lightly coat peppers with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes (until blackened on all sides) turning occasionally. 
• Place peppers in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 20-30 minutes (until cool enough to handle).
• At this point you should have no problem peeling off the skin.
• Cut peppers in half lengthwise; discard membranes and seeds.
• Cut peppers in long strips.
• Place pepper in a small bowl.
• Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with olive oil.
• Let stand to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile:

• Cut zucchini into small cubes and fry in a pan with shallots and olive oil.  
• Place zucchini mix in the blender, add parsley, drizzle with olive oil and process until smooth.
• You might need to add a little bit of water, to make a smooth cream.
• Add water gradually, one teaspoon at a time.
• Spoon zucchini cream into glasses.  Place glasses in the fridge.
• In a small bowl mix yogurt, roasted garlic (it should puree easy) and minced basil leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon white layer onto the green one.  Place glasses in the fridge.

Finally:

• Process marinated red peppers, garlic, salt and pepper in the food processor, until smooth.
• Spoon red layer on top of verrines. 
• Place them in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
3/4 cup Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish

Method

• In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly.
• Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and add the mushrooms.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid.
• Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly.
• Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Low-Cal Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup low-fat (2%) milk

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons Neufchtel or low-fat cream cheese

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

12 ounces fresh fettuccine

Freshly ground pepper

Method

• Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook until the garlic is slightly soft, about 1 minute.
• Add in the flour and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon,1 minute.
• Whisk in the milk and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, whisking constantly, until just thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Add the Neufchatel and parmesan cheese; whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the chopped parsley.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and return to the pot.
• Add the sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water to the pasta and gently toss to combine, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt.
• Divide among bowls and top with parmesan and pepper.

Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup dry white vermouth

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Method

• Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel.
• Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
• Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
• Add the butter to the skillet.
• When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once.
• Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.
• Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the vermouth and lemon juice.
• Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.
• Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the zest and parsley into the sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.
• Divide the shrimp among 4 plates or arrange on a platter and serve.

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 small onion, grated

1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 large egg

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

8 ounces ground beef

8 ounces ground pork

Freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

12 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

To make the meatballs:

• Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend.
• Stir in the cheese, beef and pork.
• Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs.
• Place on a baking sheet.

To make the soup:

• Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes.
• Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend.
• Stir the soup in a circular motion.
• Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute.
• Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
• Finish soup with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup elbow pasta

1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds
•  Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
• Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the Parmesan and chopped basil.

Salmon Baked in Foil

Ingredients

4 (5 ounces each) salmon fillets

2 teaspoons olive oil plus 2 tablespoons

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained

2 chopped shallots

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Stir the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
• Place a salmon fillet, oiled side down, atop a sheet of foil.
• Wrap the ends of the foil to form a spiral shape.
• Spoon the tomato mixture over the salmon.
• Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely; seal the packets closed.
• Place the foil packet on a heavy large baking sheet.
• Repeat until all of the salmon have been individually wrapped in foil and placed on the baking sheet.
• Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Using a large metal spatula, transfer the foil packets to plates and serve.

Belgium Recipes

Chicken Provinciale

Ingredients
1 whole chicken cut into eight pieces
100 gm bacon
1 red capsicum cut in chunks
1 green capsicum in chunks
2 onions roughly cut
1 zucchini cut in chunks
2 garlic cloves finley chopped
200 gm mushrooms cut them in half
1 tin 500gm)tomatoes ( or you can use fresh)
1 tbsp tomato paste
15 olives, green/black
5 tbsp olive oil
few tbsp of parsley
2 chilies split ( my addition to give aindian touch)
peper and salt to taste

Method

• Add the oil in a large pan and fry both the sides of the chicken pieces, for few minutes each.
• Remove them from the pan and keep it aside.
• Now add the bacon, capsicum and onions and saute for few minutes, add the tined tomato and the paste.
• Stir and add the chicken pieces back to the pan.
• Add more water if you need.
• Add salt and peper and parsley cook for 30 minutes or till the chicken is cooked.
• Add the zucchini half the way so they don't cook too much.
• Add the mushroom 10 minutes before the cooking is done together with the olives.
• Serve hot with potato croquettes, rive, bread or even fries.

Medittarenian Recipes

Arabic Chicken Kabsa

Ingredients
Chicken: 1 kg 
Basmati rice: 2 cup
Onion: 3 medium
Tomato: 1 big
Green chili: 2 pcs
Chicken bouillon: 1cube
Bay leaves: 2-3 pcs
Garlic chopped: 2 pcs
Ginger chopped: 2 tsp
Cardamom: 2-3 pcs
Cloves: 3-4 pcs
Cinnamon sticks: 2-3 big
Loomi/Black limes: 4 pcs
Cumin: 1 tsp
Coriander: 1/2 tbsp
Kabsa masala: 1/2 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Pepper powder: 1/2 tbsp
Tomato paste: 1 can
Chicken broth: 4 cup
Cashew and raisin: Garnishing
Water: 4-5 cups

Method for cooking Chicken:

• Clean and cut chicken into big pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan, add onions, garlic, green chilli and garlic, saute until onions turn golden color. 
• Add bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, black limes (make 3-4 holes on the lemon) and cumin, saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add coriander powder, salt, pepper powder and kabsa masala.Saute well until the raw smell goes.
• Add chopped tomato and tomato paste saute till the oil starts sepearte. Then add chicken bouillon.
• Mix well until sauce thickens, reduce heat to medium. Add chicken pieces, saute for 2-3 minute.
• Cover and cook for 5 minutes without adding water.
• Remove lid and add water. Bring to a full boil then reduce to low. Cook for 30-35 minutes or till cooked well.
• After the chicken has cooked reserve chicken broth for rice.
• Take out the chicken pieces from the curry and keep it aside. 

Method for cooking Rice:

• Wash and drain the rice.
• In a deep bottom pan, add 4 cups reserved chicken broth, allow it to boil, add rice.
• Lower the flame, cover and cook untill the rice is cooked. 

To fry Chicken: 

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and shallow fry the chicken for five minutes or until golden color. 

Final arrange:

• Add cooked rice to a serving plate, arrange chicken on top.
• Garnish with fried nuts, and raisins.

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients

Chinese/Purple Eggplant: 1 big

Parsley: 2-3 tbsp

Onion: 1 small

Tahini paste: 2 tbsp+

Lemon juice:2 tbsp+

Garlic: 1-2 cloves crushed

Salt

Chilli/Cumin Powder: as per taste

Method

• Bake the eggplant in a preheated oven at 450F for 25-30 minutes.You can directly roast on the gas as well.Baking may not give that earthy brown colour that we get when we roast on stove top.Also the smoky flavour will be lesser.Do as per choice.Once baked/roasted cool slightly.
• Peel the eggplant/remove the charred skin and then mash it to a pulp in a bowl.Finely chop onions and parsley.Blend together parsley,eggplant and chopped and squeezed onions.
• In a small bowl,blend together tahini paste,finely crushed garlic and lemon juice.Mix well and also add little water to obtain a creamy paste.Blend this mix with the eggplant mix along with salt and dash of cumin/chilli powder (optional) to obtain babaghanoush.
• The colour varies from cream to light brown,depending on the addition of spices.I have followed the traditional method specified for mixing though all the ingredients can be blended together.Whatever method you use,it takes only minutes to make,except the roasting/baking time.
• Serve with choice of chips, or can also be used as a sandwich spread or veggie dip or with pita bread.

Baleela and Fule

Baleela

Ingredients

2 cups of good quality chickpeas (dried or canned)

2-3 large onions, sliced into rings

1 cup of tomato sauce OR 3 tbsp of tomato paste

1 tbsp of cumin

1/2 tbsp of ginger

1/2 tbsp of black pepper

1/4 tsp of turmeric

1/4 tsp of paprika (optional)

hot pepper flakes or hot chili powder to taste (optional)

salt to taste

Method

• If using dried chickpeas, soak them in water overnight, or give them a Quick Soak: Put the chickpeas in a pot and cover with about two inches of water. Let boil for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover, and let the peas soak for an hour to an hour and a half. They should be slightly tender by now. Add half a cup of water and simmer, covered, on medium heat for about 20 minutes or until chickpeas are cooked and tender. Proceed with recipe.
• If using canned chickpeas, drain the liquid off of them, rinse, then put in a pot and cover with about two inches of water. Cover and let simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Proceed with recipe.
• To the pot of chickpeas and water, add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer, covered, on low heat for 20 minutes.
• Serve in bowls, with plenty of the broth! Squeeze fresh lemon on it right before eating.

Fule

Ingredients

2 cups of good quality dried fava beans (they’re usually quite large, but the variety I found here at my Middle Eastern store were really tiny, as you can see in the picture)

2 onions, chopped

1.5 tbsp of cumin

1/2 tbsp of black pepper

hot pepper flakes or hot chili powder to taste (optional)

salt to taste

Method

• Soak the beans overnight or using the Quick Soak Method described above for the chickpeas.
• To the pot of fava beans and water, add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer, covered, on low heat for 20-30 minutes. The skins of the beans should start to crack open; this is a sign that they’re ready.
• Fule is usually served steaming hot and without the broth. People sprinkle salt, extra cumin, and a squeeze of lemon onto their individual servings. 

Batinjan Mahshi

Ingredients

1 1/2 kg eggplants

1/2 cup short grain rice

500 g minced meat

1 head garlic, peeled and crushed

1/2 kg tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped or tomatoes juice

1/2 tspn dried mint

1 tbls lemon juice

black pepper

cinnamon

ba7arat

1 tbls vegetable oil

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

salt

Method

• Scrub eggplants well.
• Mix meat, onion, rice and season well.
• Stuff eggplants.Don't overstuff!
• Arrange in a pot. Sprinkle salt. Add tomatoes, garlic, mint, lemon juice, shortening and water to cover. Cook over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
• Cook till tender for about 2 hours.

Beet Hummus

Ingredients

3-4 beetroots, washed and scrubbed

1 cup cooked chickpeas ( u can use canned ones too )

1 onion,chopped

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp tahini

1/3 cup yogurt

3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water/vegetable stock

Method

• Cook the beets whole in a boiling pot of water for 15-20min until soft. Cool them and then peel off their skins and chop them into small pieces.
• In a non stick pan, saute the onions along with cumin seeds till soft.
• Now grind the onions along with rest of the ingredients, along with 2-3 tbsp of Olive Oil, till smooth.
• Serve it as a part of mezze platter or with pita bread.

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients

Chicken- 500 g

Oil - 3 tbsp

Pitta bread or Naan- 4

Marination for chicken:

Yogurt- 3 tbsp

Lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Parsley- 1 tbsp chopped

Ground nutmeg- 1/4 tsp

Paprika- 1/4 tsp

Ground ginger- 1/4 tsp

Ground cloves- 1/4 tsp

Ground cardamom- 1/4 tsp

Ground cinnamon- 1/4 tsp

All spice- 1/4 tsp

Garlic- 2 cloves grated

Salt to taste

For the tahini sauce:

Tahini- 3 tbsp

Yogurt- 1 1/2 tbsp

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Garlic cloves- 2 grated

Salt to taste

For the filling:

Lettuce- few leaves

Cucumber-  1/2 of 1 medium sized cucumber( sliced)

Tomato- 1 medium sized( sliced)

Black olives- 5 to 6

Feta cheese- 2 tbsp

Red onion- 1 medium sized( sliced)

Method

Marinate your meat:

To get really thin slices of the meat, take the frozen chicken and leave it outside for about 1/2 an hour .  The meat should be in the half defrosted stage, at this stage using a sharp knife  thinly slice the chicken.  Marinate the chicken with all the marinade ingredients and leave it for minimum 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Cook the chicken:

Take the oil in a wide open pan, add all the chicken pieces and cook until it looks dry.

Prepare the sauce:

Add  all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix it well.

Assemble the shawarma:

Take the pitta bread, lay it flat.  Spread the sauce in the pitta bread, arrange some chicken pieces on top it then some filling with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, olives, onions and feta cheese.  Wrap the pitta bread and serve immediately.

Note:

Instead of chicken you can also use beef or lamb. The filling ingredients is also your choice, you can also use red cabbage, pickles etc..

Fried Kibbeh Balls – Lebanese Cuisine

Ingredients

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 lb lamb

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 tsp ground allspice (pimento)

1/2 tsp ground oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

salt for taste

1 tbsp olive oil

vegetable oil for shallow frying

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup ground lamb

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/2 tbsp pine nuts

1/2 tbsp silvered almonds

1/4 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves

1/2 tbsp pepper

salt for taste

Method

• Place bulgur in a bowl and pour cold water to cover. Keep for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, and squeeze well to remove the moisture.
• Make the Filling: Heat oil in a small frying pan, add the onions and cook till soft, add the pine nuts and almonds and cook till they start to brown. Add the spice powders, salt and ground lamb and cook till the meat is cooked through. Remove from the stove and stir in the mint leaves and keep aside.
• Add the bulgur, ground lamb, chopped onions, olive oil and the spices to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add a little water if necessary.
• Shape the mixture into equal sized balls, this will make about 8 balls. Insert your thumb to make a hollow space in the ball, place the filling in the hollow and flatten out the balls and shape into ovals so that the filling is completely covered.
• Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the Kibbeh balls till all the sides are browned and the meat is cooked through.

Grilled Chicken Sumac

Ingredients

1.5 lb chicken tenders or breasts cut in strips

2 tsp sumac

juice of one lemon

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin powder

cayenne pepper

3 tbs mint

salt and pepper

Method

• Cut chicken in small strips. Add sumac, cumin powder, cayenne, salt and pepper and let it marinate for about one hour or so.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix lemon juice and olive oil.
• Grill chicken in a grill pan. When grilled on the outside and still juicy in the middle, remove from pan, add olive oil/lemon juice mixture. Coat well.
• Sprinkle with mint and serve hot.

Khubz- Arabi/ Arabic Flat bread

Ingredients

All purpose flour   500gms

Milk Powder          4tbsp

Sugar                  4tbsp

Oil                       4tbsp

Instant Yeast        1tbsp

Baking Powder       1tbsp

Salt                      1tsp

Water                   1 1/2cup

Method

• Warm the water n add in the yeast n sugar.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients n add water and knead them well to a soft dough.
• Keep them covered in a warm place for an hour till the dough has doubled.
• Divide them into 12 equal parts n Roll them into 20cm round.
• Preheat the oven to 240*c n bake them one by one for about 2 minutes for each khubz.
• Dont bake them for more than a minute on each side, coz they will puff up within a minute, if you bake them longer they will turn hard.
• Serve them hot.

Muhammara with Baked Pita Chips

Muhammara is another Middle Eastern dip that I have come to enjoy.It is made of fresh/roasted red bell peppers,walnuts,breadcrumbs and olive oil.But mostly it contains pomegranate molasses along with other spices in it.Now,I found that you can substitute this ingredient with balsamic vinegar or cranberry concentrate.So with the necessary substitutions here's the recipe

Ingredients

Red Bell Pepper: atleast 1

Bread crumbs: 5 tbsp+

Garlic :1-2 cloves

Walnuts(toasted): handful

Olive oil

Lime juice

Balsamic Vinegar/pomegranate molasses:1-2 tsp

Chilli flakes

Cumin seeds or powder

Salt

Method

• You can use store bought roasted peppers drained and rinsed or cut the pepper into half and broil on a baking sheet with their skin side up for 10-12 minutes.
• Then seal them in a ziploc bag for a few minutes.
• Then remove their charred skin and chop.You can also roast them on the stovetop.
• For toasting walnuts,use oven or simply dry roast them on the stovetop.After toasting chop them.
• Peel and lightly crush the garlic.Seasonings are to be adjusted as per taste.
• Puree all the ingredients in a blender drizzling olive oil little by little.
• Garnish and serve as a dip with pita chips or as per preference.

Baked Pita Chips

Pita bread: atleast 1

Salt & Spices as per taste

Olive oil.

Method

• Cut the pita bread into small bite sized pieces.Here I have used pocket less pitas.
• Any pita will do.Also you can make them thinner by slicing the pita into half and then cutting into triangles or whatever shapes.
• In a small bowl,mix together choice of spices and seasonings-onion powder,garlic powder,cumin,pepper,chilli flakes,chilli powder etc.
• Mix the spices and salt with olive oil.Check for salt and adjust accordingly.
• Using a pastry brush or any other choice of device,brush each pita piece with this spiced oil.
• Bake on a preheated oven at 400F for 7-8 minutes.

Mujaddara

Ingredients

1 cup brown/green lentils

1 cup Basmati (or any long grained rice), pre soaked in water for 20 min.

2 large onions, sliced into rings

1 small shallot , finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 inch cinnamon stick

grated zest and juice of one lemon

few sprigs of cilantro/parsley for garnish

salt to taste

Method

• Soak the lentils for an hour. This is not necessary but I find that it helps to speed up the cooking process.
• Cook the lentils in about 2-3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
• Cooked but with a bite in it still.
• Meanwhile heat about 2 tsp of oil or butter in a skillet. Once hot add the sliced onions to it and cook until browned and caramelized. This takes about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add 1/2 tsp oil (if needed) and add  the shallot or use little of red/white onion. Add salt and cook for 1 minute
• Add the rice and cinnamon stick and cook until the rice is aromatic and toasted.
• Add 2 cups of water, cover and cook rice – about 10-15 minutes.
• When the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is almost cooked, add the cooked lentils, zest and juice of lemon to this mixture.
• Cook for another 3-4 minutes for the rice to absorb the flavors of the lentils.
• Serve with caramelized onions and garnished with cilantro. 

Mutabal(Egg Plant Dip)

Ingredients 

Eggplants /Aubergine/ Brinjal - 3 nos.

Garlic Cloves- 2-3 pods

Tahina/Tahini - 1 ½ Table spoon (Ground sesame paste) I used readymade paste from the      supermarket .

Yogurt – 3 Table spoon.

Lemon Juice – 1 table spoon

Olive Oil – 1 table spoon- to taste

Salt to taste

Method

• Remove the head of the eggplants, and make 2-3 horizontal gashes with a knife on the eggplants.
• Grill the egg plants for 25 mints or cook the same in microwave for few mints then roast in a skillet with out oil until the skin is almost baked. (For original taste we have to barbeque the egg plant, naturally it is not practical, so grilling will do for an extent.)
• In the meantime, mix the Tahina with the lemon juice until it becomes a smooth light consistent paste.
• Allow to cool the egg plant, then peel off the skin and take the soft flesh and make sure you don’t take any of the skin. Slightly roast the garlic also in a skillet for few minutes and make a paste.
• Then add all the ingredients in a blender or use a hand mixer to blend well to get a uniform consistency. Add salt and olive oil to taste.
• Enjoy the Eggplant dip with Grilled meats &Arabic breads. You can even use the same as a spread in your sandwiches, chapatti’s etc.

Oven Baked Chicken Kabab

Ingredients
1 lb chicken, boneless, cubed
4 tbsp yogurt
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp oil
1 pinch turmeric
2 pinch corriander powder
2 pinch red chilli powder
1 pinch saffron
1 pinch cumin powder
salt to taste
1/4 tsp of minced parsley
(1 pinch = 1/16 tsp)

Method

• Marinate the chicken with all the above ingredients mixed together. Cover and refrigerate for 20 - 24 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and keep it a room temperature. Also keep the wooden skewers soaked in water for 5 -10 minutes.
• Thread the chicken cubes on to the skewers and keep them into the oven for baking. (Instead of oven, a charcoal grill can also be used.)
• Heat the oven at 350 deg C and bake for 30 - 35 minutes. To blacken the chicken cubes a little, before removing, keep the heat setting on broil for 1 minute.
• Remove and serve with rice, or bread or use in a sandwich with lavash bread.

Shakshooka

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter

1/2 a large onion, finely chopped

1/2 a chili pepper, chopped

1 large green pepper, diced

3-4 large tomatoes, diced

4 eggs

Method

• Heat the oil or butter in a frying pan. Add the onions and chopped chili peppers, and saute until soft.
• Add the tomatoes and green peppers, and sautee for a couple of minutes.
• Cover and let cook on medium heat until the vegetables soften to desired texture.
• When softened, dig out little holes in the vegetables with your spatula, then crack each egg into a hole. Add salt&pepper to taste, then cover again until the eggs cook.
• Serve hot with fresh pita bread or toast, or fried potatoes. Perfect for a late lunch on a cold winter evening.

Simple Potato Kibbeh

Ingredients

Bulghur/Cracked Wheat: 1/2 cup

Potatoes: 2 medium

Onion: 1 small

Salt: as per taste

Oil for deep frying

Spices (optional)

Cumin/Jeera powder,pepper,chilli powder,minced green chillies etc

Method

• Soak the bulghur in cold water for 30 minutes.Boil,peel and mash potatoes.Puree the onions.
• Drain the bulghur and squeeze /press them down in a strainer to remove the excess water.
• Mix the bulghur with pureed onion,finely mashed potatoes and salt and other spices.I added cumin powder,pepper,chilli powder.
• Knead the dough-like mix so that the spices are mixed well.
• Make small patties/balls and deep fry in hot oil.
• Serve hot with Tahini Sauce or choice of ketchup/sauce.

Small Pies (Manaeish) or Fatayer Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tbs yeast

¼ Cup water, warm

2 ½ Cup flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

¾ Cup milk

¼ Cup oil

1 Egg, beaten +2 Tbs milk

Method

• Dissolve yeast in warm water, leave for 5 minutes or until foamy.
• Combine flour, salt and sugar in an electric mixer on low speed.
• Add yeast mixture, milk and oil while beating on medium speed for 10 minutes or until soft dough is formed (can be mixed with hands for about 25 minutes).
• Place dough and roll in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1hour or until doubled in size.
• Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a (½ cm thickness) circle. Cut into approximately 7 cm circles.
• Brush circle edges with the egg mixture and fill one side of the circle as desired (for example white cheese and dried mint mixture), then fold into a half circle; pinch the edges with a fork to seal. (Hint: flour the fork so it won’t stick with the dough).
• Brush with the egg mixture, prick with a fork, sprinkle with sesame seeds, black sesame or crushed pistachios (as desirer).
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden (time may vary according to filling).

Serving Suggestions

For spinach filling:

(Olive oil/ spinach, cut/ pomegranates seeds/pomegranates syrup/lemon juice) heat oil in a skillet over medium heat, add ingredients and stir until done.

Fill pies by adding a portion of the mixture in the middle of the dough circle, then fold edges to meet in the middle to shape a triangle. Top with pomegranates seeds. 

For minced beef filling: (precooked ground beef, pine nuts)

Place a portion of filling in the middle of the dough circle; pinch the edges to form an unsealed square. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.

Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cucumber

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives

1 clove roasted and minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon crushed mint

1/4 teaspoon crushed black peppers

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method

• In a medium bowl mix all the ingredient except black pepper.
• Garnish with crushed black pepper.