Lemonade with Chia Seeds From Vietnam For V

To day  is the 22nd day of our Blogging Marathon wiht the 22nd letter which is V. V for Vietnam is my choice. Vietnamese cuisine is one of the healthiest cuisine. Because most of the recipes are boil or steamed or slow cooked. They use a lot of fresh ingredients and minimal use of oil.After those most popular rice paper wraps, rice noodles, meat or vegetable dishes beverages also take an important place. Like Jasmine tea, Ice coffee, sugar cane juice, this lemonade is one of them.

So lets check how they make Lemonade...

INGREDIENTS:--- 

Chia seeds (sabja seeds)  ----  1 tea sp

Lemon   -----  1/2 lemon

Water   ---- 1 cup

Crushed ice  ---- 1/2 cup

Honey  ---  1 tab sp

METHOD:---

1. Soak chia seeds in warm water about 10 minutes.

2. Take 1 cup water in along glass and squeeze lemon and honey mix well

3. Add soaked chia seeds and crushed ice mix well and enjoy.

You can add finely chopped pine apple, apple, strawberry's to this drink

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Varenyky From Ukraine For U

Today my recipe is from Ukraine, Ukraine is an Eastern European country which is in Russia before. It has east and north east borders with Russia. So culture and cuisine is much more influenced by Russia. Ukrainian cuisine has it's own and rich history. Ukrainian cuisine contain lot's of meat recipes and a less variety of vegetables. In vegetables they use beetroot potato and cabbage a lot, they use both fresh and pickled vegetables 

                                Varenyky is a traditional Ukrainian recipe which is a dumpling stuffed with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, cheese or meat some times hard boiled eggs too. This is a savory version. They make this dumpling sweet version too with the filling of fruits, jams and serve with sugar dusted or with cream. same time savory version is served with sour cream 

So let's check the recipe... 

Recipe source from HERE

INGREDIENTS:--

All purpose flour   ---   1 ans half cups

Cold water   ----  1/4 cup

Salt a big pinch

FOR FILLING:--

Potato  ---- 1 big

Mushrooms  ---  8 chopped

Onion --- 1 small chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil

Butter

METHOD:--

1.Boil potatoes peel and set a side.

2. Add water and salt to flour and mix well to make a soft dough, knead well cover and set a side for 20 minutes.

3. Heat a 1/2 tea sp oil in a pan add onions ad saute toll they change the color.

4. Add chopped mushrooms to the onions and fry till moisture from the mushrooms evaporate

5. Then add salt, pepper, mix well and switch off the heat.

6. Now chop boiled potatoes inn to very small pieces and add them to mushroom mixture combine well.

7. Now divide the dough in to equal portions and roll them in to very thin sheets

8. Cut the sheet with a cookie cutter or with a glass in to small circles.

9. Place a 1/2 tea sp of potato mushroom filling in the center.

10 Fold the circle in to half to make half moon shape, seal the edges. set a side

11. Boil water in a big pan, bring to full boil then add the potato and mushroom stuffed dumplings slowly in to the boiling water.

12. First dumpling will go under the water with in two minutes they will come up after that cook them for five more minutes.

13 Remove from hot water and drain all the water, grease the dumpling with butter so that the won't stick together.

Serve hot with sour cream.

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Thai Yellow Curry For T

    T for Thai cuisine,Thai cuisine is one of the most popular cuisine all over the world. Thai cuisine is mainly divided in to regional cuisines, corresponding to the four main regions. Thai culinary traditions and cuisine are very much influenced by regional and neighbor's. Thai meals typically consist of rice as main dish with many side dishes. Thai curry is one of those side dishes, but these curry are in two different way one like a stew which contain coconut milk and cream with meat or vegetables. this type of curries are popular in central and west Thailand. the other one is dry means stir fries. These Thai curries are much different from Indian curries. Thai curries include lemongrass and lime leaves and shrimp paste which we don't use in Indian curries.
to day my recipe is one of those curries which is well known as Thai Yellow Curry. There are many variations for this yellow curry. this is most popular in west and south regions specially Muslim cuisine. In southern Thailand this dish is known as Kaeng som means sour curry. this recipe contains tamarind, fish and vegetables. The other yellow curry contains coconut milk and coconut cream. But this Yellow curry is much popular out side Thailand other then in the country.
Thai Yellow curry is normally served with steamed rice or round rice noodles.
Let's check the recipe....
Recipe source from Here
INGREDIENTS:---
Carrots  ---  2 medium cut in to small cubes
Baby corn  ----   10 cut in to small cubes
Button mushrooms  ---  8 cut in to four
Capsicum green   -- 1 small cut in to cubes
Capsicum red ---   1/2 cut in to cubes
Thai basil  ---  1 tab sp chopped
Sugar  ---  1/2 tea sp
Soy sauce  ---  1 tea sp
Coconut milk  ---  1 cup thin milk
Coconut milk   ---  1/2 cup Thick milk or  you can use coconut cream
Oil ---  2 tab sp
Salt to taste
FOR YELLOW CURRY PASTE:--
Shallots  --  3 chopped
Coriander seeds  ---  2 tea sp
Cumin seeds  ---  2 tea sp
Black pepper  --- 1/4 tea sp
turmeric powder  ---  1 tea sp
Fresh Thai red chillies  ---  2 (I used bird eyes chillies)
Galangal or ginger  ---  1/2 inch piece
Garlic cloves  --- 3 cloves
Kaffir lime leaves  ---  2 medium (I didn't fined them so I used 1/2 tea sp of lemon zest
Lemon grass  --- 1 stalk
METHOD:--
1. Take all ingredients for curry paste in to a blender jar make a smooth paste with a little bit of water and set a side.
2. Heat oil in a pan add curry paste saute for three minutes then add thin coconut milk cook for two minutes.
3. After two minutes add all chopped vegetables, salt, sugar give a good stir and add 2 cups of water or vegetable stock cover and cook till vegetables are cooked and tender.
4. Now add coconut cream or thick coconut milk and soy sauce cover and cook for another five minutes.
5. Finely add chopped basil leaves, cook for one more minute and switch off the heat.
Serve hot with jasmine rice.
Note :- Other then this vegetables you can use Thai eggplants, toffu and fruits like pineapple....
2. If you don't find galangal can use ginger
3. Instead of kaffir lime leaves can use lemon zest but can not replace lemon grass
  

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Cashew Curry With Yellow Rice From Sri Lanka For S

Sri Lanka this is the country of my choice for Letter S. Sri Lanka is well known as Ceylon before 1972. I remember that there is a program on Radio called Binaka Geetmala in my childhood.This was a very popular show on Ceylon radio which used to broadcast weekly on 3 PM. Which is a show of hit Hindi songs and after this program was shifted to Vividbharati, All India radio that was another story. But first name is Simhala desam or singala desam after British people entered in to the county they changed it to Ceylon then it was changed to Sri Lanka.

                                                         This Democratic Socialist Republic country is a beautiful country with it's landscapes and beaches. This country is one of the Buddhist country. Sri Lankan cuisine is very much influenced by South Indian cuisine specially Kerala cuisine because of it's geographic and agricultural features. Rice is a staple food with curries whether it is a curry with sea food are with vegetables. Coconut milk and coconut is found in all most all  Sri lankan dishes. To day my both recipes are based with coconut from Sri Lankan cuisine.

Let's check the recipes..

Recipe source from Peter Kuruvita for Cashew curry

INGREDIENTS:-----

Cashew nuts   ----   250 gms

Ghee  ---  2 tab sp

Onion   ---- 1 big chopped

Green chillies  ---  2 chopped

Curry leaves  ---  1 spring

Cumin powder   ----  1/2 tea sp

Turmeric powder  ---  1/2 tea sp

chilli powder  ---  1 tea sp

Cinnamon stick ---  1 inch piece

Coconut milk   ---  300 ml (this is second extract of coconut milk)

Coconut cream  ---  150 ml (this is first extract of coconut milk)

A pinch of roasted curry powder for garnishing (optional for this you can use roasted cumin seed powder also.)

METHOD:---

1. Soak cashew nuts in water for 1 hour.

2. Heat ghee in a pan add onions, curry leaves chopped green chillis stir well.

3. let the onions change the color a little bit then add cumin, turmeric,chilli powder and cinnamon stick.

4. Stir on a medium heat for a while.

5. Drain water from cashew nuts and add them and stir to combine.

6. Add coconut milk and coo on a medium heat till the gravy becomes thick and reduced.

7. Add coconut cream bring to a full boil switch off the heat and add salt to taste, mix well.

Serve top with roasted cumin powder or roasted curry powder.

Serve hot with Sri Lankan Yellow rice..

Sri Lankan Yellow Rice Recipe..

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Kaha Bath Sri Lankan Yellow Rice For S

Sri Lankan cuisine  is base on two main ingredients one is coconut and the other one is Rice. rice is a staple food for Sri Lankan's, They use rice in many ways from break fast to dinner. Rice and curry is most important in their meal. Plain rice served with many curries and side dishes. Other then plain rice they make some flavored rice like Kiri bath(Milk rice), Kaha bath (yellow rice ). My today's recipe is Sri Lankan Kaha Bath (Sri Lankan Yellow Rice.)

                                                                    

INGREDIENTS:---

Rice   ---- 2 cups

Turmeric powder  ---  1/4 tea sp

Cloves  --- 2

Cardamom  ---- 2

Cinnamon stick ---  1 stick

Onion  --- 1 small chopped

Garlic ---  1 clove chopped

Ginger  ----  1 tea sp chopped

Butter  --- 1 tab sp

Salt to taste.

                                                                  

Recipe adopted from HERE

METHOD:--

1. Wash rice and add 2 cups water and start cooking in a pan, bring to a full boil and reduce the heat and let it cook in a slow heat.

2. In the mean while heat butter in a other pan add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and hopped onion, chopped garlic and ginger fry for a while.

3. Now add turmeric powder mix well and add this seasoning to rice.

4. Add salt to taste mix well cover and cook till done.

Remove from heat and serve hot with Cashew curry.

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Piroshki from Russia for R

Today's my recipe is from one of the largest country in the world. Russian cuisine is a collection of different regional cooking traditions. Russian cuisine is depend on peasant food of the rural population, with a combination of  poultry, mushrooms, fish, berries and honey. They use a lot of millet's, wheat, barley, rye, rye bread is most popular one. Slowly they started using fresh vegetables, green vegetables. Russians make a huge variety of hot and cold soups and salads. Russian salads are very much popular all over the world. Meat dishes will take first place in the main course, and also include root vegetables, pickled vegetables. There are many types of stuffed recipes in Russian cuisine like Piroshki. 
                                                                                     Piroshki is a small stuffed bread which is normally shallow fried or deep fried. These are stuffed with minced meat and onions or rice and boiled eggs or fish and fried onions,also a vegetarian version is with mashed boiled potato with cheese, dill and green onion or with sauteed cabbage or mushrooms. 
So let's check the recipe... 
INGREDIENTS:--

All purpose flour  ---- 4 cups

Yeast  ---  1 packet active dry yeast

Sugar   ----  2 tab sp

Warm water  --  1/4 cup

Milk  ---  1 cup

Eggs  ---  3 (I used 3 tea sp of egg replacer )

Salt  ---  1 tea sp

Oil  --  1/2 cup
                                                               

METHOD:---

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warn water keep it in a warm place till frothy, it took 15 minutes for me.

2. In a pan heat milk till warm add egg,(egg replacer), oil, remaining sugar,and salt whisk well and remove from heat.

3. In a big mixing bowl take half flour add egg and milk mixture, yeast mixture mix well and add remaining flour little by little and knead well to make a soft dough that should not be sticky if need add little more flour to make a non sticky dough.

4. Cover the dough bowl with a clean cloth, keep it in a warm place till rise in to double.

FOR FILLING:--

Potatoes  ---  1/2 kg

Cabbage  ---  1 cup chopped

Onion  ---  1 medium chopped

Caraway seed  -- 2 tab sp

Paprika  ---  1 tab sp

Salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese  ---  1 cup crumbles

I have feta cheese with me so I used it you can use any other cheese like farmers cheese or mozzarella if you like. using cheese for filling will make lot's of difference in the taste.

Boil potatoes, peel and mash well and set a side.

Heat 1 tea sp oil in a pan add chopped onion and saute for a while then add chopped cabbage, mashed potato, caraway seeds, paprika, salt and pepper mix well and remove from heat, add cheese mix well to combine every thing.

Now filling is ready.

NOW LET'S MAKE THE PIROSHKI:--

1. Take out the dough from bowl and divide in to golf ball size portions.

2. Roll each ball in to 4 inch disk's and place the filling in the middle.

3. Close in to half to enclose, pinch the edges together to seal the filling.

4. Now deep fry piroshki in hot oil till golden or you can bake them in a ore heated oven at 200 degree C for 20 minutes or till golden.

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Balaleet From Qatar For Q

Again like O for Q also there is only one country which the name start with Q. Q for Qatari cuisine is also Influenced by many Asian and African country's. Qatar is located in desert so the number of ingredients locally available is very limited. But now they are growing many vegetables in farms. The most important influence on Qatar cuisine is Arab  cuisine so. In the modern age foods from abroad have been introduced to Qatar.But the traditional recipes still have remain the same. Today my recipe is from traditional Qatari cuisine, Traditional Qatari Break fast Balaleet.

Let's check the recipe..

Recipe source from HERE 

INGREDIENTS:--

Vermicelli   -- 1/2 cup

Sugar  ---  2 tab sp

Cinnamon  ---  2 tea sp

Ginger   ---  1 tea sp

Salt a pinch

Butter  ---  1 tab sp

Egg  ----  1

Oil   -- 1 tea sp 

METHOD:---

1. Heat water in pan  bring to full boil add oil and vermicelli mix well and cook till vermicelli become soft.

2. Switch off the heat and drain the water, place vermicelli again in the pan, switch on the heat.

3. Immediately add sugar, cinnamon, ginger and toss well.

4. Spread the vermicelli mixture evenly cover with a lid and reduce the heat to very low and cook for 10 minutes so the that the vermicelli on the bottom will turn crisp.

5. Take out the vermicelli from pan in to a plate.

6. Now make a one egg omelette and place the omelette on top of the vermicelli ans serve.

Serve with a cup of coffee.

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Zupa Grzybowa Polish Mushroom Soup for P

We have already finished cooking from 15 country's to day is the 16th country and that is with P. for P my choice is Poland. Polish cuisine is highly influenced by Central European cuisines. Poland has a number of regional cuisines and also they use a large variety of vegetables along with meat and cheese. Specially they use a wide variety of mushrooms and they have a huge number of soups this one is among them. Polish Mushroom Soup so let's check the recipe..

Recipe adopted from HERE

INGREDIENTS:---

Button mushrooms --- 1 and half cup chopped

Dried mushrooms  --- 1/2 cup chopped

Sour cream   ----  1/2 cup

Onion   ---  1 medium chopped

Vegetable stock  ----  4 cups

Flour   ----  2 tab sp

Salt to taste

Pepper powder  --- 1 tea sp

Oil  --- 1 tab sp

Fresh dill for garnishing

METHOD:---

1. Heat oil in a pan add onion and mushroom  saute slowly till tender.

2. Add flour  cook on a low heat stirring continuously.

3. Add stock and dried mushrooms then bring to a full boil reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Take  a little amount of hot soup in to a small bowl add little by little sour cream  stir well  then add little more sour cream do this till you finish the whole sour cream( this will keep the sour cream from clumping).

5. Pour this sour cream mixture back in to the rest of the soup add salt and pepper to taste mix well.

Serve top with a dollop of sour cream.

Note:- I chopped my mushrooms finely because of that we can't see them on top. If you like can cut mushrooms in to big pieces. 

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Khabeesa From Oman

To day we have to cook a recipe from a country which name start with O. Other then Oman there is no other county that name start with O. So we have to choose a recipe from Omani cuisine to day. Like all other Middle East country's Omani cuisine also is a mixture of many other Asian cuisines. Rice is the staple food also they make different varieties of breads. Meat takes an impotent part in the cuisine apart fro meat dishes they also make delicious vegetable dishes also. They have a very less traditional breakfast dishes from those this Khabeesa is one popular dish. Khabeesa is a wheat semolina porridge a very healthy and delicious breakfast so let's check the recipe.

Recipe source from HERE    

INGREDIENTS:--

Fine wheat semolina(farina) ---  3/4 cup

Sugar   ----  1/3 cup

Butter  ----  2 tabsp

Milk   ---  5 cups

Rose water  ---  2 tab sp

Cardamom powder  ---  1 tea sp

Saffron tread   -- a pinch

METHOD:---

1. In a sauce pan heat butter and add semolina, give a good stir.

2. Add all other ingredients mix well and let it cook on a low heat stirring occasionally till done.

Means semolina should become soft this should look like a porridge.

Remove from heat ans let it sit for few minutes then serve

Serve warm top with more butter  and a cup of Omani coffee.

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Oliebolen Dutch Fried Doughnut From Netherlands

Oliebolen  interesting name isn't it? Oliebolen is a Dutch doughnut kind of pastry which is a deep fried pastry. This deep fried pastry is filled with raisins, dried currents and peeled and chopped apple and served with powder sugar on top. This a traditional  dutch pastry well known as Oliebolen in Netherlands.these deep fried doughnut are specially eaten on New Year's Eve 

                                                                    Netherlands cuisine is well known as Dutch cuisine. For today we have to post a recipe for alphabet N. My choice for N is Netherlands, this cuisine is developed by dutch people. Dutch cuisine consists of the cooking traditions and practices from the Netherlands cuisine. Traditional dutch cuisine is simple and straightforward with lots of vegetables, specially potatoes. Potatoes are eaten with every meal if they are simply boiled or mashed potatoes. Holidays are celebrate with special food and this doughnut recipe is a holiday food recipe but now it is available every day. So lets check the traditional recipe from Netherland.

INGREDIENTS:---

All purpose flour  ---  2 1/4 cups

Warm milk   ----  1 cup

Salt  ---  1 and half tea sp

Egg  ---- 1

Dried currants  ---  3/4 cup

Raisins   ----   3/4 cup

Apple  ---  1 peeled and chopped

Oil for deep frying

Confectioners sugar   ---- 1 cup

METHOD:--

1. Add yeast to warm milk mix well and let it stand for 10 minutes.

2. Take flour and salt in to a big bowl stir well.

3. Add egg, yeast to flour and make a smooth batter

4. Stir in the currants, raisins, chopped apple  mix well once cover and leave it in a warm place for one hour.

5. Heat oil in a deep frying pan.

6. Take the batter with a spoon to give the doughnuts a scoop shape and slowly drop the batter in to the hot oil .

7. Fry this doughnuts till golden brown, remove from oil and drain on a kitchen towel .

8. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve hot. 

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Balushahi for ICC

Badushah or Balushahi  both are almost same recipes only the names are different. In North India they know this as Balushahi. Not only in Indian cuisine it is very popular in Nepali, Pakistaani and Bangladeshi cuisines but with different names. In south India it is very popular as Badushah. What every the name was it is my Fathers and my favorite sweet.
This is the challenge for this month Indian Cooking Challenge. ICC I was missing this challenges from long time. This is an easy to make Indian sweet but you have to take care of some points like. When you mixing the dough you can add butter or ghee first but that should be relay cold. Means keep the butter in the fridge before you using cut in to small pieces then rub it in the flour with your hands till the flour turn in to crumble texture. If you follow this you get a flake balushahis. Use fresh curd not the sour one add butter or ghee and baking powder as per measurements. If you add little more then what we gave in the measurement the balushahis will brake in the oil. If you add less then measurement your balushahis will become like rock so just follow the ingredients and mesurements.
I tried many times this sweet before but didn't get the perfect balushahis this time I almost reached. First time they blast all over the kitchen when I was frying them. so keep the heat in medium low oil should not be very hot. If you drop a small ball in to the oil that should come up after 2 minutes not immediately. I your oil is very hot balishahis won't cook in side and they turn golden out side very fast, so take care of heating the oil. Second time my badushas turned soft like soft dumplings that because I didn't add baking powder and soda. so take care of ingredients and mesurements so that you can get crisp out side and melt in mouth balushahi like what I got this time. They are crisp out side flaky and melt in mouth in side
Lets check the recipe.
INGREDIENTS:---
All purpose flour/ Maida  ---    1 cup
Baking soda  --  1/4 tea sp
Baking powder  ---  1/8 tea sp
Unsalted butter ----  1/4 cup (cold butter cut in to small pieces)
Yogurt (curd)  ---  1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying
Sugar  ---- 1 cup
Water   --- 1/3 cup
Cardamom powder a pinch
Chopped pistachios for garnish

METHOD:--
1. In a big mixing bowl take flour, baking soda, and baking powder mix well once and add cold butter and mix with your fingers.
2. Mix butter and flour till the flour turn in to bread crumb like texture.
3. Now add curd and make soft dough don't knead the dough cover and set a side for half an hour.
4. Now make the sugar syrup, In a pan add sugar and water bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and boil till syrup is almost one thread but not reached one thread consistency.
If you touch the syrup with your fingers that should stick to your fingers but should not form thread.
5. Add cardamom powder and remove from the heat and set a side.
6. Make small balls out of the dough and lightly flat them on your palm and make deep dent in the center.
6. Heat oil in a medium heat to check if the oil is hot enough or not drop a small piece in to the oil, if this small piece of dough take 2 minutes to come up then you oil is ready to fry.
7. Now slowly drop the balushahi s one by one in to the oil, fry 4 to 5 at a time don't crowd the pan.
8. Fry the balushahis till brown one side the slowly turn the other side and fry till golden both sides.
9. Remove from the oil and drain them on a kitchen towel.
10. Dip this fried balushahis in the sugar syrup remove immediately, din't leave them in the syrup for long time they become soft so remove immediately.
Garnish with chopped pistachios and serve.    

Quesadilla From Mexico For M

We have started another week of our trip to around the world in 30 days. Today we reached Mexico for letter M. I wanted to post a Moroccan recipe for today but most of the recipes I have posted last two weeks are from Asian and African cuisines. I wanted to change so that my choice for M is Mexican cuisine.

                                                        Mexican cuisine is one of the most popular and authentic cuisine. Basic Mexican cuisine remain it's staples native foods like corn, beans, chilli peppers. Later Europeans introduce a large number of meats, dairy products, herbs and spices. But still the techniques and traditions of Mexican cuisine didn't change. Like Mexican cuisine has been considered to be very spicy, and ingredients what they use are specially Mexican. There are many wonderful dishes dishes in this cuisine Like tacos, burritos, fajitas, and many more like this.

Today I am going to post a delicious recipe from Mexican cuisine that is Quesadilla.

                                                        Quesadilla is a Mexican street food which contain a tortilla whether it is a corn or wheat tortilla filled with a savory mixture. The mixture for the quesadilla contain cheese, vegetables and meat and fold in to half moon shape and toasted. This quesadillas are normally served with guacamole, chopped onion, tomato or with salsa

So let's check the recipe...

recipe adopted from HERE

INGREDIENTS:---

Spring onions  --- 5 Finely chopped 

Tomatoes   ---  1 big diced

Green bell pepper  ---  1 medium diced

Red bell pepper   ----  1/2 diced

Mushroom   ----  200 gms diced

Corn fresh or frozen ---  1 and half cup

Garlic   ----  5 cloves finely chopped

Red chilli flakes --- 1 tea sp

Jalapeno pepper  --- 1 chopped or pickled pepper 5 to 6 pieces chopped

Salt to taste

Oil   --  1 tab sp

Tortillas   ---  4

Mild Cheddar cheese   ----   1 and half cup grated

Olive oil for roasting --- 1 tab sp

METHOD:---

1.  Heat oil in a pan add chopped garlic, onion (white part) and saute for a while and add mushroom, fry for 5 minutes.

2. Now add bell peppers and cook for 3 more minutes

3. Add tomato, corn, jalapeno pepper, red chilli flakes, salt to taste stir well and cook till vegetables are half way cooked.

4. Add spring onion green part mix well and remove from fire and set a side.

Now the quesadilla filling is ready.

5. Now heat a pan(flat pan/ dosa pan) roast the tortilla one side till brown.

6. Remove from pan and sprinkle some cheese on the roasted side half of the tortilla and place the vegetable mixture on top of cheese.

7. Now fold the quesadilla in to half to make a semi circle.

8. Sprinkle a little bit olive oil on the pan and place the quesadilla and roast on a medium heat till it turn in to nice golden color.

9. Flip the other side and fry till golden remove from the pan and cut in to triangle

Serve with  Guacamole or tomato salsa.

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Irio From Kenya for K

Some times simple recipes makes delicious dishes Am I  right?. This recipe from Kenya is one of those dishes. Yes my recipe for K is from Kenya. Kenya is an East African country with it's Indian ocean coastline. Many immigrants came in to Kenya and brought their ingredients in to the country. So Kenyan cuisine is a mixture of  many cultures and cuisines 

                                                                             But there are some local tribes and groups still following their culture and using their won ingredients in their cuisine. Kikuyu is the one of the largest group in the country, they are also the largest ethnic group in the country. They lives in the hilly area of the country. Kikuyu people are farmers, they grow bananas, sugarcane, yam, potatoes and many more other vegetables.

                                                                        Kikuyu people make a lot of vegetarian dishes too from their locally  grown vegetables. This Irio is a traditional Kikuyu recipe which I got after a very long research. Irio is a delicious and nutritious accompaniment to any stew. But they serve this with beef stew or any other meat stew. What I came to know is traditionally how they eat this is. Take a small portion of this Irio and dip in to the stew and have it. I made this for two times. First time we had it with a bean stew and bread that was a very heavy meal. Second time we just had it with a slice of toast. This time I thought I could have it with a soup and bread will try next time. Simple recipe but was very delicious. If  you use all fresh vegetables in this recipe the taste will increase, but you can use caned peas and corn. You can use dried green peas and corn but the taste will be little different. There are variations for this recipe too. some people will add spinach or pumpkin leaves to this. And in some recipes they didn't add onion and garlic. I my recipe I like to add onion and garlic so I included them, wanted to add spinach but I didn't get that in the market, So If it ia available for you then you spinach to the recipe.

Now let's check the recipe.

Recipe adopted from HERE

INGREDIENTS:---

Potatoes :---  500gms (peeled and cut in to cubes)

Onion  ---- 1 big finely chopped

Green peas  ---  250 gms

Sweet corn kernels  --- 250 gms

Garlic  ---  2 cloves chopped

Butter   ---  1 tabsp

Sour cream  --- 2 tea sp

Water or vegetable stock or chickne stock --- 1 cup

Salt to taste,

Nutmeg powder  -- 1/4 tea sp

Pepper powder  -- 1/2 tea sp

METHOD:----

1. Heat butter in a pan add chopped onion and garlic and saute till soft. 

2. Now add potatoes, green peas, and sweet corn (add spinach if using) and stir well for 12 minutes.

3. Add stock or water mix well and cook till potatoes are soft. Here i want to tell one point in the original recipe they drain the excess water. But I didn't like that if we drain excess water the flavor of the butter which we used for saute the vegetables will go away in the water. So avoid that and I just cooked the vegetables till all the water disappear,so the flavors will stay.

4. cook till potatoes are soft, remove from he heat and mash with a potato masher till every thing in to a lumpy consistency. 

5. Now add sour cream, salt to taste, nutmeg and pepper powder mix well to combine.

Serve with a stew and bread.   

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Jamaican Fried Dumplings For J

Today we have to cook a recipe from a country name start with J. I have changes many recipes with this letter. First I planed to make Jordanian pilaf then I changed it to Japanese Then finely decided to make Jamaican.

                                                                   Jamaican cuisine is a mixture of flavors, spices, influences from local people. And also adopted cooking techniques and flavors from British, African, Indians and Chinese who lived in the country.Jamaican cuisine includes many dishes from different cultures and cuisines. They use a large variety of tropical fruits, meat and sea food. 

                                                              to day my recipe is Fried dumplings very popular dish. They are very popular street food and also made at homes. This fried dumplings are made in two ways one is made with flour, a little bit of salt and milk, second  verity is with flour, milk, corn meal and sugar. the second version is known as festival dumplings. this festival verity is served with spicy meats and gravy s. My today's recipe is first one which is served as a snack or breakfast with Callaloo, Ackee and salt fish.

Recipe adopted from Here

INGREDIENTS:--

Self- rising flour  ---  1 and half cup

Butter  ---- 11/2 tab sp

Salt 1/2 tea sp

Milk  ---  1/4 cup

Water  ---1/4 to 1/2 cup

Baking powder  --  1 and half tea sp

Oil  ----  1 and half cups for frying

METHOD:---

1. Mix flour, baking powder, salt in a big bowl add butter and rub well to mix evenly then add milk and mix well.

2. now slowly add water little by little and knead a soft dough.

3. This dough should be soft but not sticky, if your dough became sticky the add little more flour and make a perfect dough (little soft then our chapati/ puri dough but not sticky).

4. Heat oil in a frying pan the oil temperature should be not too hot. heat oil in a medium heat.

5. Make small balls out of this dough, drop this dough balls in to oil and fry till golden turn them in between.

6. Fry till golden and remove from oil and drain on a kitchen towel.

Serve warm
I enjoyed them with hot chocolate..

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Spaghetti With Vegetarian Meat Balls From Italy for I

I am a big fan of David Rocco s cooking shows, may be because of  I like Italian cuisine. When I started cooking for this BM this is the recipe I made first. I wanted to make this meat ball in tomato sauce in Italian style from long time. Since I am a vegetarian I couldn't use meat. Then one fine day I saw this recipe in David Rocco's show. He made the same vegetarian meat ball with zucchini, I liked it very much even this eggplant meat balls taste too good.  
INGREDIENTS:---
FOR MEAT BALLS:-
Eggplant  ---  1 big ( the big one what we use for bharta)
Bread  ---  2 slices (2 to 3 days old bread)
Milk  --- 1 cup
Eggs  --  2
Parmesan cheese --- 1 cup grated (Here I want to tell about cheese David Rocco used 2 types of cheese in his recipe one is Pecorino and parmigiano. I didn't get those both cheeses in the place of those cheeses I used Parmesan cheese.
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs ---  1/2 cup
Flour  ---  3/4 cup
Olive oil for frying the balls
FOR TOMATO SAUCE:---
Olive oil  ---- 2 tab sp
Onion --- 1 big finely chopped
Tomato puree  --- 700 g
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
METHOD:--
For meat balls:--
1. Chop the eggplant and boil in salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and cool then squeeze the extra water from the eggplant.
2. In a bowl take mils and dip the bread slices for a while then squeeze the milk from the bread.
3. Now take eggplant, bread, eggs, cheese and salt to taste, now add bread crumbs and flour (save a little flour to roll the balls). Mix well to combine every thing (if you mixture is too moisture then you can add some more flour and bread crumbs). 
4. Now make golf ball size balls and roll them in the flour.
5. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the eggplant meet balls till golden.
For tomato sauce:--
1. In a pan heat olive oil and saute onion then add tomato puree, salt to taste and bring the mixture to full boil, reduce the heat to medium add the meat balls and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Sprinkle some cheese and set a side.
For spaghetti :--
Spaghetti  -- 1 pack.
salt a pinch
Olive oil --  1 tab sp
Water for boiling
1. Bring water to a full boil in big pan.
2. Once water is boiling add salt and oil, pasta and cook for 10 minutes.
best to check if the pasta is cooked or not eat a piece if it is soft enough to eat then your pasta is ready to serve.
Now pour the pasta in to a strainer, shake well and bring back the paste to the same pan in which you cook the pasta.
Add  3 tab sp of tomato sauce and mix well so that tomato sauce will coat on the pasta very well.
Now add the meat balls with tomato sauce mix gently.
Serve sprinkle with cheese.

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Hungarian Deep Fried Bread Langos For H

On the eighth day we reached Hungary. I must tell a big thanks to Valli for this theme. While searching for recipes from different countries. Not only finding a recipe we get a lot of knowledge about the country, culture and cuisine. For the first time I came to know that Hungarians also known as Magyars Interesting!!. Hungarian cuisine is a traditional cuisine which is developed by  Magyar people with the  seasonal vegetables, meat, fruits bread and dairy products. They have soups, main courses with stews and breads, sausages and sweets and cakes.

                                                        To day my recipe from Hungary is a Hungarian bread recipe which is a fried bread. Well known as Langos, is a break fast bread, before this used to bake in front of the brick oven like Indian batti oven how interesting is n't it !!!. Usually this bread was made at home or brought from street vendors. so that slowly this is became very popular as a street food. This Hungarian deep fried bread is usually served with garlic just rub the garlic on it and serve or grated cheese or sausages, omelet or with cinnamon sugar or jam. I enjoyed it with garlic water. Crush garlic and add it to water mix well sprinkle this garlic water along with garlic pieces on the bread and enjoy with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate..

                                                                     

             

Recipe adopted from Here 

INGREDIENTS:---

Potato   ---  1 big

Flour   ---- 1 3/4 cup (I used maida but recipe call for All purpose flour )

Yeast   ----   2 tea sp ( I used normal dry yeast which we dissolve in warm water)

Oil  ---- 1 tab sp

Milk ----  1/2 cup

Sugar   ---  1 tea sp

Salt ---  1/2 tea sp
Oil for deep frying

                                                           

METHOD:--

1. Heat the milk till just warm and add sugar and yeast and mix well to dissolve, set a side to rise. It took 15 minutes for me to rise.

2. Boil potato till soft and mash well and keep it warm. 

3. Now mix flour, salt in a mixing bowl add mashed potato, yeast, oil and knead in to a soft dough, knead well for 10 to 15 minutes to make smooth and elastic.

4. Cover and set a side to double. make small portions out of this dough again cover and set a side for 20 to 30 minutes.

5. In the same time heat oil in a frying pan.

6. Now take a small portion of the dough, flatten lightly and stretch the sides about 8 inch diameter.

Little large then our puri, yes just like baturas.

Make a slit in the center

Fry in the hot oil till golden, remove from the oil drain all the oil on a paper towel.

Serve hot rub with garlic or with sour cream or with cinnamon sugar on top yummmm.

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Greek Salad for G

This is the second week for this International theme in This month BM. Since we are cooking our recipes with alphabetical order, in between we take a break on Sunday. So today is the seventh day with the seventh letter G. My choice for G is Greek.

                           Greek cuisine is a very ancient cuisine in the world. This cuisine has a culinary tradition of some nearly 4,000 years. Greek cuisine is typically Mediterranean cuisine. they use a wide range of vegetables, grains, herbs. Olives take first place in heir cuisine whether it is oil or olives it self . Greek cuisine have a large array of vegetable dishes specially eggplant, okra, spinach and green beans, green peppers, onions.  Greek cuisine typically flavored with garlic, onion, oregano and mint, thyme and fennel seeds. Cheese is widely used in salads and snacks specially Feta cheese. Kalamata olives are very popular in Greece cuisine widely used in salads and thyme is the most popular and traditional herb. Honey is  used in almost of all sweets.

                                                 Today my recipe from Greece is Greek salad. Greek salad is a traditional salad with it's original flavors of olive oil, lemon and oregano. In a original Greek salad they use Tomato, European cucumber, onion, feta cheese and kalamatta olives are must in this salad. But there are many inspired salad s in other cuisines.  In original Greek salad they don't use lettuce, bell peppers  or any other meats . There are some other salads in Greek cuisine like Potato salad, beet salad but this one is most popular salad and my all time favorite.

                                    From long time I wanted to make this salad but didn't get chance to make it. Because it is a bit difficult to get feta cheese here, and I don't want to make it with out feta cheese. Some people told me that you can use paneer in the place of feta!!!!! but how can?. If I use paneer it won't be a real greek salad we can give other Indio- Greek name to that salad.. So I was very disappointed that I couldn't post my favorite salad recipe . Every time when I go to Bangalore I try to bring feta cheese from there but some how I miss that. This time I made it I brought a box of feta cheese from bangalore. I pick it from the shop just before I am leaving to airport and asked my cab driver to keep it in front of the AC.. I was so much afraid till I reach home finely I brought it home safely. With in few days I used the cheese, finally here is my favorite salad recipe  
                                                                       

INGREDIENTS:---
Red onion ---  1 big sliced
Tomatoes  ---  2 medium cut in to cubes
Cucumber  ---  2 cut in to cubes
Salt and pepper to salt
Olive oil --  4 tab sp
Dried oregano  ---  1 and half tea sp
Feta cheese  ---  200 gms
Kalamatta olives (greek black olives) ---  one hand full
METHOD:---
1. In a big salad bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, onion sprinkle salt mix once and let it sit for a while.
2. Add oregano, olive oil, pepper to taste give a good stir then add kalamatta olives, feta cheese mix once gently
Serve immediately  with bread
Note:-- no need to add any lemon juice or vineger because when you add salt to vegetables they leave their juices. Once you mic the salad these vegetable juices will blend with olive oil and work as a wonderful dressing. That gives a wonderful flavor and you can enjoy the real flavor of vegetables natural flavor.

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French Country Stew for F

We have already completed six days of this international cooking marathon. To day is with the sixth letter F. When I think about F the first country name I got in my mind is France. I make plan every year to visit France. Even I use to tell Priya this year  I am planing to come and some how I missed every year.
French Cuisine has a long and it's own history. Normally french cuisine introduction will come with heavy sauce and beautiful arrangements, But in reality French cuisine is simple and it is sometimes elegant, and always exquisite. I heard French cooking is highly influenced by Italian cuisine. I don't know how long it is true,But French regional cuisine is characterized by it's extreme diversity and style. Traditionally, each region of France has it's own distinctive cuisine. Today my recipe is from From country side which is a delicious flavorful vegetable stew. 

FRENCH COUNTRY STEW
INGREDIENTS:---
Cabbage  ---  3 cups chopped
Onion --- 1 medium finely chopped
Garlic  ---  4 cloves  chopped
Butternut squash or carrot  --- 3 cups peeled and chopped
Fresh thyme  --- 1 tab sp chopped
White beans  --- 1 can
Diced tomatoes  -- 1 cup
Crushed red chillies  -- 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Pepper powder to taste
Vegetable broth   ---  4 1/2 cups
Oil  -- 1 tab sp
METHOD:--
1. In a soup pan heat oil and add chopped onion and garlic fry for a while then add butternut squash or carrot add 1/4 cup water and cook for five minutes.
2. Now add all other ingredients except white beans and tomatoes.
3. Add 4 cups remaining water and cook for 30 minutes in a very low heat.
After 30 minutes add tomatoes and beans and cook for 10 more minutes.
Adjust the seasoning and serve hot.

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Koshari National Dish Of Egypt For E

To day the fifth day we are going to a take culinary trip to Egypt. Egyptian cuisine is one of the ancient cuisine. They use a lot of vegetables and legumes in their cooking because of the rich Nile valley and delta they produce large quantities of vegetables and lentils. Fava beans chick peas and onion will take a main part in this cuisine. In Mediterranean and  Nile river fish also consumed inn their cuisine. Bread will be eaten with almost all meals.

                                                       Usually Egyptian main course will be  mashed beans and a bean stew and with a rice dish this rice dish is called as Koshari. Which is a mixture of rice, lentils and pasta (macaroni). Koshari is a National dish of Egypt and very popular too. Koshari is usually served with a spice Tomato sauce and fried brown onion. Some times they served this with chicken. Some times spaghetti also used in the place of macaroni. And the dish was garnished with boiled chick peas. In olden days this dish is very popular among laborers and workers. Now you can find this in any restaurant, even in a road side food stall.  This is the one dish I found vegetarian in Egyptian cuisine, because they use any animal fat in this. This is my to day recipe For E from Egyptian cuisine.

INGREDIENTS:--- 

Olive oil  ---  2tabsp

Rice  ---  1 cup ( they don't use basmati rice, they have a medium grain rice their that looks like almost our ponni rice but little thick the ponni and little sticky (I feel). So for today I use Ponni rice. you can use any medium grain rice.

Macaroni --- 2 cups or you can use Vermicelli 

Vegetable stock  --- 2 cups

Garlic --- 10 pods chopped

Cumin  --- 1 tea sp

Bay leave  --- 1

Salt to taste

FOR TOMATO SAUCE:--

Olive oil  --- 2 tab sp

Onion -- one small finely chopped

Garlic   --- 4 cloves minced

Tomato puree  ---  400 ml

Bahart spice blend --- 2 tea sp ( this is a spice mix what we get in Middle eastern countries this smels like our garam masala, so you can use garam masala + red chilli powder in place of this masala.)

Red chilli flakes  ---  1/4 tea sp (optional)

Red wine vineger -- 1 tabsp

Salt to taste 

Pepper powder  --- 1/2 tea sp

Fride onion ---  from 2 larg onions

Boild chick peas  -- a hand full for garnishing. 

METHOD:---

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, add rice and fry for 2 minutes then add vegetable stock bring to a boil reduce the heat and cook till done.

2. In a other pan rinse lentils  add 2 cups of water and cook till lentils are soft but not mashe.

3. Cook macaroni or vermicelli  till done drain the water set a side and let it cool.

4. Now Heat oil add cumin, garlic, and bay leaf fry for a while and add rice, lentils, pasta or vermicelli, toss to combine well.

FOR TOMATO SAUCE:--

1. Heat oil in a pan add onions and fry till soft then add garlic and saute till golden brown, add tomato puree, baharat, salt and pepper to taste, red chilli flakes, red wine vinegar, bring to a boil and reduce the heat cover and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

For serving scoop out the rice in to a palate sprinkle little baharat top with some spiy tomato sauce and garnish with fried  onion and chick peas and serve warm. 

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Ableskiver - Danish Pancake Balls for D

For the forth day I have reached Denmark. Denmark is a geographical and cultural region in  North Europe, Bordered by Sweden and Norway. Danish Cuisine is originating  from the farmer population's own local produce,was enhance by cooking. Later in 19th century they have developed their cooking techniques with the availability of goods. It was based on the need to make of natural products available in the family form. Ray bread and potatoes, salted pork were eaten everywhere. After the Industrial Revolution cooking techniques have changed a lot and new dishes were invented. After This revolution the started using milk and vegetables in their cooking.
Most of the Danish people have their regular meals a day. That is dinner, they call breakfast and lunch as cold meals and the dinner is hot meal. Breakfast will be a bread, cheese and jam with a juice. Lunch should be a open bread sandwich specially with ray- bread. Dinner usually consists of just one main course that will be a meat dish with potatoes and a vegetable or with a salad, If there is a dessert it will be ice cream or a fruit dish.
Today my recipe is Danish Pancake balls. when I saw this I am really surprised, they looks like our paniyaram not only that the recipe also very near to our sweet wheat paniyaram. This is called as Aebleskiver or Danish pancake balls. For this they use a special pan that is called Danish cake pan or Aebleskiver pan. Danish people make them plain or stuffed with chocolate or apples or with jam and flavor with cinnamon or nutmeg or simply dust with powder sugar.
INGREDIENTS:---
All-purpose flour   --  11/4 cup
Sugar  ---  3 tab sp
Baking powder  --- 2 tea sp
Ground cinnamon  ---  1/4 tea sp
Salt -- 1/4 tea sp
Egg  --- 1 ( you can use 1 tab sp of egg re-placer)
Milk  --- 1 cup
Melted butter  --  2 tab sp
METHOD:--
1. Ina mixing bowl add sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt and mix well to combine every thing.
2. In a small bowl beat egg well add milk and melted butter and blend well.
3. Add milk and egg mixture to dry ingredients mix well to make even batter without any lumps.
4. Now place the pancake pan over a medium heat, brush with little melted butter fill each cup to slightly below the rim with the batter. 
5. Cook for 1 and half minute  turn the other side and cook keep on turning till you get the nice brown color remove from pan and do the same with the remaining batter.
Serve with jam I enjoyed them with my coffee with out jam yummm...

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Cuban Red bean rice For C

Today is the third day  and we have to cook for letter C. I am bit confused , which country to choose First I thought of making Cambodian after a big research I changed my opinion. Then again started research, this happened many times. Actually I wanted to make a salad for today  but some how I am not satisfied. Then I changed my recipe to a main course, now again the research started and finely I reached Cuba.
Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic and a little bit of Chinese and Portuguese too. Most of the Cuban recipes are not too heavy or creamy, Almost of them are sauteed and slow- cooked over on a low flame. Meat and poultry will take first place in this cuisine, other then that root vegetables like yuca, boniato are staple.
They have toast and coffee for breakfast, empanadas and Cuban sandwiches are popular for lunch. For dinner they usually have meat or fish with white rice and black beans with sweet fried plantains.
Arroz Congri Oriental This is my recipe for today from Cuba for C. Rice and beans are very popular all over Cuba. Normally This rice dish is made with black beans but there are many variations among regions. In eastern part of the region this is prepared with rice and red beans. This dish is served with fried plantains and a salad.
INGREDIENTS:--
Rice  ---  3 cups
Dry red beans  ----  1 and half cup
Oil  --- 1 tab sp
Onion  ---  1 medium minced
Green bell pepper  ---  1 medium
Garlic cloves  ---  7 minced
cumin powder  --- 1 and half tea sp
Dried oregano   ----  1 and 1/2 tea sp
Bay leaves  ---  2 
Salt to taste
Water 
METHOD:--
1. In a pot rinse red beans well and add 12 cups of water stir well and bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and cook for 60 minutes.
2. Beans should be soft but not mashey, because we are going to cook then again with rice.
3. Drain the water and save we are going to use this water for cooking the rice , so that the rice will get a beautiful color. 
4. Now wash rice and add water which we saved from red beans and add remaining fresh water (I gave 3 cups rice for 3 cups of rice you need 5 to 6 cups water,measure red bean broth then add remaining water.) Add red beans and cook till done.
5. Heat oil in a pan Now here I want to include one thing in original recipe they use bacon that leaves  fat in that they cook onion. So in my recipe Iam using oil in the place of bacon fat.
6. Now add onion and bell pepper and saute till the raw smell disappear.Add minced garlic and saute for a while.
7. Now add  rice and beans mixture, cumin powder, oregano and bay leave, salt to taste mix very carefully with out braking the beans and rice.
8. Cover and cook  on a very low heat for 5 to 7 min. switch off the heat and let it sit for a while and serve.   
        

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