Hyderabadi haleem

I am not a massive fan of rich food, but Friday lunches are important for us because we celebrate our weekend with some great food, tried and tested dishes and desserts. From quite a while we have been craving Haleem and I was eyeing one of the nearby Hyderabadi restaurant for it.

Haleem is made by beef, mutton or chicken along with all pulses and spices of Indian sub-continent. The main ingredient is the broken wheat and the best way to cook is the slow cooking method which helps the spices get absorbed by the other ingredients. Originally from Persia, this dish is also very popular in South Asia as well.

Unfortunately most Hyderabadi restaurants here sell Haleem only on Fridays and usually for lunch. And it is not always possible to pick it up from the restaurant after the Friday prayers due to various reasons. So instead of pondering deep over these issues, I just decided to make it myself even though I know it is a tedious job and I was making it for the first time and the margin for errors could be quite high.

Irrespective of all of these things, on Thursday evening I found myself embarking on the arduous task of bookmarking a recipe for this fabulous dish and then soaking the lentils and the wheat. It was decided that Friday lunch would be a one-dish affair and it would surely be Haleem along with a garden salad. I need to point out that I used to feel making Haleem is a very stressful job and it is usually served only in most Muslim parties for highly deserving recipients. I knew I was wrong after I made it.

 This recipe comes from an authentic Pakistani recipe source. I absolutely adore the way Pakistanis cook their Non-vegetarian dishes. I hope you enjoy making Haleem.

INGREDIENTS:

300gms. minced Chicken/Lamb meat                                           
150gms. Chana dal
150gms. Urad dal
150gms. yellow Moong dal
150gms. Broken Wheat
150gms. Oats (optional)
1 tbsp. whole Black peppercorns
2 tbsp. Black pepper powder
1 big Onion, finely sliced
500ml. Chicken/Mutton Stock
100gms. thick Yogurt/Curd
2 tbsp. Ginger-Garlic paste
2 tbsp. Garam Masala
½ tbsp. Coriander powder
½ tbsp. Jeera/Cumin powder
3 Cardamom, 3 1’ pieces of Cinnamon and 3 Cloves
Ghee/Oil
Salt
4 tbsp. Lemon juice
5 Green chills
1 cup Coriander leaves
½ cup Mint leaves

 HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Beat yogurt with ½ tbsp. black pepper powder, salt and ½ tbsp. ginger-garlic paste. Add chicken/mutton pieces to this and mix well. Leave this marinade in the refrigerator for 3-4 hrs.

2) Soak the broken wheat overnight in some water.
3) Soak all the lentils for atleast 2-3 hours.

4) Make a fine paste of green chillies, coriander leaves and mint leaves.

5) Pressure cook together the lentils and the broken wheat with 4 cups water until they are very soft and then try to puree it with a flat spoon.

6) Pressure cook the marinated chicken or mutton until very soft.

7) In a cooking vessel heat clarified butter/oil and then add whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.

8)  Add sliced onions and fry till they turn nice golden brown. Reserve half of fried onions for garnish.

9) In the same oil, along with fried onions add green chill, coriander and mint paste. Fry for a minute and add pureed lentils, broken wheat and cooked chicken.

10) Add chicken/mutton stock, pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, oats, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice and garam masala. Mix till all the ingredients are mixed nicely.

11) Cook by stirring occasionally on low flame for 30-45 minutes till the flavors are incorporated with each other completely.

12) Serve warm by garnishing with reserved fried onion slices and lemon wedges.

  

Nargisi Kebab

Nargisi Kebabs as they are popularly known as are a treat to non vegetarians. Succulent mutton is rolled out around boiled eggs that are spiced to bring out the best flavor. These are a specialty especially during Ramadan months as they are one of the best choices for iftars.

The concept for these Kebabs is quite different from our other Kebabs. The recipe below says the rest.

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs, hard boiled
500 grams mince meat
50 grams Bengal gram lentils
2 tsp green chilli paste
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
Whole spices, 2 to 3 of each
3 cups water
1 egg, beaten
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Soak the lentils  for an hour.

2) Pressure cook together the minced meat, lentils, green chilli paste, ginger-garlic paste, whole spices, and salt.

3) Once the cooker opens, on a high heat dry all the water out from this meat mixture.

4) Grind the meat mixture in a grinder till a dough-like consistency is obtained.

5) Slice the boiled eggs half, length-wise. Slightly oil your palms, and flatten a small amount of the meat mixture on it. Cover each half of the eggs with the meat mixture.

6) Dilute the beaten egg with two teaspoons of water.

7)  Heat oil in a pan. Dip the kababs in the beaten egg, and fry till golden and serve them hot.

 

Dahi Kadhi

This weekend's been great, so much food, cooking, napping and reading- all my favourite stuff basically! I'm going to spend the rest of this week catching up and scheduling my blog to make way for an influx of new reviews and recipes that will be coming your way soon. I have got 15 more recipes waiting in my drafts which have been tried and tested since a while, waiting to get published. I intend putting them up at the earliest.

Can you say YUMMY? This is such a great QUICK and EASY recipe, yet the results taste like you’ve been in the kitchen for hours. This is an ample serving. You could easily just steam some rice and still have room in your calories for some meat or chicken on the side. It is perfect for the summer months and a pleasure to the digestive system. We call it the Dahi Ki Kadhi in India, made up mainly of sour yogurt. Each state has its own version of this recipe and all versions taste wonderful.

INGREDIENTS:

For the kadhi:

• 1 small to medium onion
• ¾ to 1 tbsp chopped garlic or crushed garlic
• 8-10 fenugreek seeds
• 2 green chillies chopped or slit lengthwise
• 2 red chillies broken
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• a generous pinch of asafoetida
• 8 to 10 curry leaves or 1 sprig
• 2 tbsp.oil
• a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves

For the curd mixture:

• 1 1/2 cup full fat sour curd
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water or add as required
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• Pinch garam masala powder
• generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
• Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE:

 

The curd mixture:

 

1) Mix all the ingredients listed under the curd mixture in a bowl and keep aside.

 

The Kadhi :

 

1) Heat oil in a low bottomed vessel. Add in the red chilies, garlic  and the asafetida.

 

2) Then add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and the cumin seeds.

 

3) Once the mustard seeds crackle, add the green chilies and the sliced onion and fry them until onion is soft.

 

4) Pour in the curd mixture. Allow it to simmer on low flame for about 10 to 15 minutes.

 

5) Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

 

6) You can drop in some onion fritters or spinach fritters and can serve it with steamed rice.

 

 

 

 

Tzatziki Sauce/Dip

Last evening was a no-cook evening for me because we decided to dine at our favorite pizza center close to our house. So I spent most of the evening delightfully scrolling through magazines and books and it was a welcome change. Not that I could do it everyday.

Recently I made another simple Greek dish which is serves as a healthy dip to grills and fried stuff. Simple yet special with the addition of the yogurt and cucumber. Serve this up and watch it disappear !

Creamy, savory – a perfect side dish to a lighten a heavy meal. Warm and homey , the dill leaves with the cucumbers - they are just meant to go together !

 So the recipe for the Tzatziki Sauce or Dip is as follows:

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups yogurt
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 tablespoons dill, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumbers with the yogurt, dill, garlic, oil, and lemon zest. 

2) Mix well and refrigerate for at least an hour for the flavors to come together. 

3) Serve with warm pita bread, as part of a falafel sandwich or grills.

 

Coconut Mice

This recipe is embarrassingly easy, but when I  actually make such stuff that means I am doing it all for my toddler who is actually a fussy eater and I am a desperate mom trying my best to figure out what she may like or dislike. I confess that I got this recipe from a Milkmaid website and I had copied it down after being attracted to the pictures.

The pictures show that it is terribly creative, attractive and a toiling job. But only the latter is not true because it not only is very tasty but also extremely easy.

INGREDIENTS:

 

1/2 tin (200 gm)-  Sweetened Condensed Milk
3 cups  Desiccated Coconut powder
1 cup Icing Sugar
4 Glazed Tinned Cherries
8 Almonds / a few chocolate chips   

HOW TO MAKE:             

 

1) Keep aside 1/2 cup coconut powder for coating. 2)  Mix together the condensed milk, desiccated coconut powder and icing sugar to get a soft dough. 3) Take a small quantity of dough, the size of a lemon and form into an elongated mouse shape. Coat with the dry coconut powder  4)  You can use silver balls for eyes, glazed cherry pieces for noses, almonds silver or chocolate chips for ears and noodle strands for tail. Leave in a cool place. 

Rice pooris

I really cannot believe it's the last week of April. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just terrifying the rate at which 2015 is disappearing in front of my eyes, just worried at the rate I am aging....

This weekend has also flown by, but mainly because I've been doing a lot of work and have kept myself busy. Almost every day over the last week has involved something new in the kitchen. I've made something or the other which is new and I am still not sure if I made everything perfectly. The sad thing is that first impression is certainly the best impression. And if something is not cooked well in the first attempt, then the chances of the same dish being repeated in the near future is very less. No, I should not do that. I should try it out and perfect myself on it. Or else I cannot be a good cook. I am wary of that!!!

Anyways I'm heading into next week with more of the same on the horizon, and feeling like an extremely energetic girl. Tomorrow is Thursday and that means I am a day just before the weekend and I need to list down what I would like to try out in the weekend. Baking is certainly on my list and what else ? I will get to know tomorrow. Nevertheless, I am excited.

Now coming to today's recipe. I found this recipe in one of my books and I really liked it. I made them for breakfast and accompanied them with a vegetable curry. They are called as Rice pooris or Rice puffs. Quite an interesting concept because they are not very common in our breakfasts or in most restaurant menus. They are fluffy, crispy and fresh. You are sure to love them.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups rice flour

1.5 cups water or add as required

½ tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

a pinch of fenugreek powder

1 tsp oil for the dough

1/2 cup Dill leaves finely chopped

salt as required

oil for deep frying the pooris

 

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Mix the spices and salt with the rice flour.

 

2) Heat the water till its begins to boil. Add the hot boiling water to the rice flour mixture along with the dill leaves.

 

3) With a spoon stir well. cover with a lid and let this mixture become warm, for about 20 to 25 mins.

 

4) Add 1 tsp oil  then begin to mix everything with your hands. Knead till smooth using a bit of oil.

 

5) Cover and let the dough rest for 25 to 30 minutes more or till it cools completely. Make small balls from this dough.

 

6) Roll each of the small ball into a flat bread type and deep fry them until light golden in hot oil.

 

7) While deep frying, you can gently press  the poori, in circular motion, so that the poori puffs completely.

 

8) Serve them hot.

 

 

Raw Mango pickle

Back home in India, this is the time of the year that we all love. Several varieties of mangoes are available from March onwards until late August. It is a pleasure to see the markets and the road side vendors sitting with filled baskets of freshly harvested mangoes. And their fragrance is very appetizing.

Living here in the middle east we miss all this fun because we are visiting India only once a year and generally not during Indian summer. Mangoes are the summer season's specialty so if you want to avoid the summer, you should also be ready to sacrifice eating the juicy, delectable and the sweetest mangoes. We do get a lot of mangoes here also, but they are not as good as the ones you get in India.

Recently we observed that our local grocery store was selling green unripe mangoes. I bravely went on to buy a Kilogram of it so that I could try my hand in pickling them. I have never made a mango pickle earlier and this was certainly my first try. For me pickles was only a grandma's work and I used to feel that I am too young to make pickle. Huh ... !!!! Those were my thoughts earlier but not from now on because I really managed successfully to pickle mangoes and this is how my recipe goes:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups raw green mango (about 3-4 small mangoes)

1 teaspoon salt

 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 small sprigs curry leaves

¼ teaspoon fenugreek powder

½ teaspoon asafetida

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

4 tablespoon water

 

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Wash the mangoes well and dice them evenly. You can throw their seeds away.

 

 

 

 

2) Sprinkle some salt on the diced mangoes and leave them aside for 5-6 hours. This process will dehydrate the mangoes and remove their water content out.

 

3) Throw away this water and get ready to make the pickle now.

 

4) Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add mustard seeds and stir in curry leaves, and spice mixtures—fenugreek, asafetida, chili, turmeric—and cook, stirring, for 15 seconds. Pour in water and bring to boil over low heat.

 

5) Remove from heat, add the diced mango and mix well. Taste and add salt if needed.

 

6) Bottle this in clean jars and keep them in the sun for 2-3 days. This will help to soften the mangoes and the spices will get absorbed during this process. If you make this during the winter season and you can't have the sunlight, then you can still leave in a warm place for 2-3 days and then start using it.

 

 

 

Manchow Soup

I love how optimistic I feel at the beginning of the week. I’ve got some goals in mind and I’m ready to conquer my bright, shiny new list of “to dos” for the whole week. But after a long day at work and then back home, it is hard to go through this list and do everything. I am sure you are well aware about how tough it is to manage a 2- year old and manage the domestic chores and making a meal that your family likes. The least I can do is to fix a comfort food which can be eaten before supper.

Nothing beats a warm bowl of delicious chicken soup to comfort you after a tiring day. And this Chinese Manchow Chicken Soup Recipe adds a nice twist to our old-fashioned favorite soup. It’s so easy to prepare and everyone in the family will surely love and add it to their list of favorite comfort food.

INGREDIENTS:
 

For the soup:

¼ cup boiled & shredded chicken
¼ cup shredded cabbage
¼ cup grated carrots
¼ to ⅓ cup sliced or chopped mushrooms
¼ cup finely chopped french beans
¼ cup finely chopped onion or spring onion whites
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 to 2 fresh red chilies or green chilies, finely chopped
½ tsp rice vinegar or regular vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce or add as required
¼ tsp black pepper or white pepper powder, add as required
3 cups water or veg stock
6 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves/parseley for garnish, (optional)
1 tbsp oil
Salt as required
 

For the fried noodles: (optional)

⅓ cup cooked noodles

Oil for frying, as required

 

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Heat oil in a wok or pan and add the chopped fresh red chilies, garlic and ginger.

 

2)  Saute for a minute and then add chopped onions. Now add finely chopped french beans and chopped mushrooms.

 

3) Brown the mushrooms and add grated carrots, shredded cabbage, finely chopped capsicum/bell pepper & celery. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

 

4)  Add soy sauce and black pepper and then add water or veg stock.

 

5) Season with salt. allow the soup to come to a simmer on a medium flame. Add the corn flour and stir. You will find the soup thickening now.

 

6) Add the vinegar. Check for the seasonings taste with salt, pepper and then garnish with finely;y chopped coriander leaves or parsley.

 

7) For garnishing further, you can fry the noodles till they are crisp. Drain the fried noodles and sprinkle them on the soup and serve it piping hot.

 

 

 

MINT-YOGURT DIP

This is a simple recipe but it surely is a flavour enhancer when served beside fries or bbq or baked stuff. A super healthy one too. It is quite popular in restaurants here which are always serving Kebabs and grills.

It requires only yogurt mixed with herbs and beaten and of course the sourness, the spice and the salt. Besides Yogurt, Mint is the main flavor that is required.

This is a tip for the health watcher -Try using non-fat Greek yogurt instead of the full fat yogurt– you’ll get the same rich texture and all the tang, but none of the fat that comes from the full fat version. Don't overdo the tangy lime flavor here because Greek yogurt has a bit of tartness in it.

Plus, Greek yogurt is full of protein, and some have live-active cultures, which are great for digestive health.

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 cup Mint leaves

½ cup Coriander leaves
1 cup Yogurt, beaten
2 cloves Garlic
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
2 Green chilies
Salt
¼ tbsp. roasted Cumin powder(optional)

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Beat the herbs, chillies and the garlic cloves in the blender with some water, salt and cumin powder until they are a paste.

2) Add them to the beaten yogurt and pour in the lime juice. Check for taste and serve.

 

Pineapple Biscuit Pudding

I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately, so I was glad when I found a no-cooking dessert recipe during blog hopping and I decided to make it last weekend. I just had to jazz up the standard biscuit crust (as in pies)with some sweetened pineapple which was a perfect complement to the raw egg flavor of the pudding.

Well a pudding !!! I am not very impressed with puddings these days. I just feel they are too "eggy" and may not be liked with everyone. Thanks to Vanilla essence, it really saves. And this pudding doesn't require cooking also. So I was quite apprehensive initially. I was wrong. And I am glad because this pudding outclasses all other usual puddings.

It’s really easy to put together too . . . well, except for chopping the pineapple. So I just went through the shortcut way - canned pineapples !!! The sweet flavor really is worth the effort, but I won’t judge if you like to use fresh pineapple instead. My grocery store sells a lot of these canned stuff and I picked a can recently that happened to yield exactly what I require for this recipe.

I made this last weekend, but it would be perfect for Mother’s Day or any occasion .It is very rich, so plan to serve small slices. I had 2 adults and a toddler to tackle it (some of whom had seconds), and still only made it through half of it.

Now lets check out the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

1 packet Marie biscuit
100 gms Butter
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 cup Pineapple stewed/preserve/tinned
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 Egg
 1/2 to 1 cup. Milk

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Beat egg white stiff and keep aside.

2) Beat butter and sugar till nice and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat till creamy.

3) Then fold in the stewed pineapple(along with the juice if you are using canned ones) and the egg white and mix well. This is the cream mix for the pudding.

4) In a square pudding dish  dip biscuits in milk and line the dish.

5) Spread the pineapple cream on top of this.

6) Again dip biscuits in milk and line on top of the cream till the cream layer comes on top and keep in fridge for at least an hour.

7)  Garnish with caramelized nuts or grated chocolate or sprinkle chocolate chips. You can also pipe some cream and sprinkled chocolate gratings.

8) Chill the pudding thoroughly. And serve chilled.

 

Spinach n Cheese fries

The start of this week was an absolute nause for me and I feel as if the days are really dragging. Can't believe that it is only Monday today and I still have 3 full days left for the next weekend to come. But  I am sure that my days will definitely improve towards the weekend.

Well, other than an utterly revolting meal yesterday which seemed to be soul food without a soul... there'll be a review going up shortly, but it was bleak. I am trying my best to bake a cake. Trying since quite a while. Somehow something or the other comes up and I postpone the whole damn thing and then the same old thoughts and plans are carried to the next day only to find the schedule packed for cooking and for the evening.

Unfortunately, I’ve acquired a bit of extra “padding” from the holidays, so I’ll be working on some interesting recipes now for a while. To start us off, how about some delectable spinach fries which are lightened up with low fat cheese? These dreamy fries have all of the cheesy taste and texture of sour cheese but without any of the added fat! Wondering how? Have a look at the recipe below.

This recipe is so easy to make and results in super-tender chunks of spinach infused with spicy cheesy sauce flavor…mmm, good. You can use them for a starter in your parties or as a weekend appetizer or as an evening snack or to munch during a picnic or any way your heart desires.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Bread slices
1 cup Chopped spinach
1/2 cup Grated cheese
2 Green chillies (chopped)
Salt  as per taste
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
Oil – for deep frying.

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and sauté spinach till it becomes dry and soft. Take this in a bowl.

2) Add grated  cheese, chopped chillies, salt , pepper powder and mix well.

3) Remove the corners of the bread. Dip a bread slice in water and press between two palms to remove the water.

4) Place a spoonful of the cheese, Spinach mixture and close it from all sides.

5)  Roll it pressing slowly into oval shaped or round rolls. Prepare the same with all the slices.

6)  Heat oil in a pan and deep fry these rolls till they are golden brown on all sides.

7) Serve hot with tomato sauce.

 

Chilled lime pie

This is something that I learnt out of interest after tasting it from our local grocery store's bakery. It is a no-bake pie plus a cheese cake in disguise. The real refreshing ingredient is the lime that is used and the flavor it produces is heavenly.

I managed to find this recipe on the internet. I am sometimes amazed with the incredibly talented food blogs that showcase amazing foods. I admire the pictures and the combinations and I love learning about new foods. I have been gradually trying out Mexican, Greek, middle eastern dishes other than our usual Indian dishes. And I love admiring the desserts - desserts are something that I am not very good at and I just attempt them out of self-confidence only to find my confidence broken because the results are not very promising in my hand. Still I am trying out the easy ones and was glad to find this recipe on one of the blogs.

I suggest you should make it at the earliest, You can also add a few drops of green food color to the mixture to produce a marbled look or a swirled effect.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh cream (around 150 ml)
1/3 cup lime juice
6 tbsp. melted butter
15 biscuits (marie biscuits or digestive biscuits)
1/2 tin (200gms) sweetened condensed milk

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Crush the biscuits finely, add the melted butter and mix well. Press this onto a greased shallow glass dish/loose bottom pie dish and chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

2)  Whisk the Sweetened Condensed Milk and lime juice together until thick.

3) Whip the cream till soft peaks form and fold into the condensed milk mixture, gently mix till combined.

4)  Pour onto the chilled biscuit layer and swirl the green colour through the mixture to get a marbled effect. Freeze for 1-2 hours or until set.

Cornflakes fritters

Happy Sunday! I’ve been craving fritters lately; maybe because the spring weather makes our souls joyful and I’m starting to think about all of the yummy things we can eat before summer arrives.

Although tasty, fritters really aren’t that healthy. Anything that is fried and then dipped in a buttery sauce doesn’t exactly make the health food hall of fame. So, I decided to make a healthier recipe that not only tastes great and will keep your family happy munching them for a quick evening tea.

You can also add some grated cheese for a cheesy flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Chickpea flour
2 Onions
1 cup Cornflakes
3 sprigs Curry leaves
Coriander leaves – few
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 3
Garam masala powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Salt – as required
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Oil – for deep frying

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Take a bowl and add finely chopped onions, green chillies , curry leaves, coriander and mix well.

2) Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder,  garam masala powder, ginger garlic paste, salt as required and mix again.

3)  Now add chickpea flour  and corn flakes and mix well.

4) Heat oil in a pan. Take the mixture with hands and drop in small bits .

5)  Fry till they change to golden color on all sides and serve hot.