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.   

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

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Harira From Algeria

We have started another Mega BM this month. Actually I missed last mega BM and irregular in few month BM. That was SriValli, so kind of her, She didn't through me out from the BM group thank you so much for that Valli.

                                                                          When I saw the mail about this Mega Marathon, with the theme of International cuisine in alphabetical order I just wanted to do this. And let's check the theme Around the world in 30 days, when I saw this I just remember that old Raj Kapoor's movie Around the world in 8 dollars. I am a huge fan of Raj kapoor movies not only Raj kapoors all old movies. I don't know if Valli know about that movie or not but This theme made me to saw that movie once again. Any way that is an other story, now coming to the BM.
                                                                  This month we have to cook a recipe from each country in alphabetical order. Like day one we have to choose a country with the very first letter A. Means A for America, Algeria, Armenia, Argentina, and we have to cook a recipe from that country cuisine.

     My first choice is Algeria, This is a North African Country. I lived in North Africa for one year. When ever I get a chance I tried to explore the cuisine of north Africa. Like all other North African countries Algerian cuisine is a fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Also got a strong influence of Turkish cuisine. Like other North African Mediterranean coastal countries Algeria  has its large range of tropical fruit and vegetables and they use a lot of vegetables in their cooking. Because of Mediterranean coast they also have a huge range of see food recipes also. Lamb is commonly consumed in all over the country. Flat breads like Kesra is eaten with every meal, but in some regions couscous is more favorite then flat breads. They use a lot of spices like cumin,  different verities of dry red chillies, coriander, nutmeg, fennel, ginger, mace, star anise, black pepper, caraway and many more like this. Traditionally Algerian food is cooked in clay vessels.
                                                        Salads will take an important roll in Algerian cuisine with a influence of French and Turkish cuisine. Some dishes were much more influenced by Spanish cuisine. Fresh seasonal fruits are served at the end of the meal. Sweets like Halwa (this looks like our sonpappidi), makroudh are eaten during the Ramadan month. Mint tea and Turkish coffee are the favorite drinks and drunk in the mornings with pastries.
                                                   My choice for today recipe from Algerian cuisine is Harira. Harira is traditional soup of Maghreb. It is a popular starter but also can have as a one pot meal because it contain lentils, chick peas, vegetables, meat, eggs and rice or pasta. It is usually served with hard boiled eggs and Algerian bread, dry fruits, traditional honey sweets also with slices of lemon.
                                             I made my Harira with out meat, served with bread.
Recipe adopted from here
INGREDIENTS:---
Onion   ---  1 big finely chopped
Tomatoes  ---  3 big
Celery  ----  1 stalk chopped
Olive oil  ---  2 tab sp
Zucchini  ---  1 peeled and chopped
Potato  ---  1 big peeled and chopped
Carrots ---  2 peeled and chopped
Lentils   ---  3/4 cup (dry)
Ginger  ---  1 tea sp ground
Coriander powder  ---  1 tab sp
Cumin powder   ---  1 tab sp
Turmeric powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Hot paprika  ---  1/2 tea sp
Black pepper powder  --- 1/2 tea sp
Salt to taste
Bay leaf  --- 1
Parsley  ---  2 cups chopped
Coriander leaves  --- 2 cups chopped
Green pepper  -- 1 (can use jalapeno pepper)
Chick peas  --- 1 can drained and rinsed (I used dry chick peas soaked for overnight and cooked till soft)
Vermicelli broken in to bite size pieces or rice   ---  3/4 cup
Flour   ---- 3 tab sp
Lemon juice   -- juice of one lemon
Water  ---  1/2 cup
Caraway powder  --- 1 tab sp
Cumin powder  -- 1 tea sp
For serving hand full of chopped coriander leaves and lemon slices and bread.
METHOD:---
1. Heat olive oil in a huge pan add bay leaf, onion stir for a while then add ginger, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, hot paprika, black pepper give a good stir.
2. Now add chopped carrot, potato, zucchini, lentils, fresh coriander leaves and parsley mix well .
3. In the meanwhile make a pure with chopped tomato and celery and add this tomato pure to vegetables. Mix well and add 4 cups of water (nearly one lit. water).
4. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium heat and cook till lentils and vegetables are done.
5. Now with a help of a potato masher mash the vegetables and lentils lightly. Add 4 or more cups of water. Here the amount of water added is depend on your like whether you like a thin soup or a thick soup. we like a medium thick soup so I add 4 cups of water.
6. Add green pepper, salt to taste and let it cook for 20 more minutes.
7. In the meanwhile mix  flour, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water, caraway and cumin powder mix well and set a side.
8. Add pasta and chick peas cook till pasta become soft. Then add the flour mixture keep stirring cook till soup become thick as require, switch off the heat and add hand full of chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with lemon wedges.
This soup is traditionally made with meat.
You can add a well beaten egg just before switch off the heat (if you like).  

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44

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HRAIMEH - FISH POUCHED IN A SPICY GRAVY(LIBYAN POUCHED FISH)

Lamb and chicken dishes dominate the Libyan cuisine.Most of the Libyan recipes are made with lamb more then chicken.But being a Mediterranean region Libyan diet is also rich in sea food like Fish,Octopus and squids. Sundried Octopus cooked in a tomato herb stew flavoured with garlic and served on Couscous is a favourite delicacy in Libya.We get many varieties of fish from mediterranean sea like Pomfert,Mullet,Moonfish,Sardines(spanish Sardine),Anchovies.Libyans likes fresh fish more then dried fish.Mostely fish is cooked on a grill and served with couscous or cooked as a stew with potatoes and served with Bazin(Bazin is popular and treditional dish in Libya which is made by a dough with roasted barli and other grains and served with a stew of fish or meat. It is similar to South Indian ragimudde(ragisankati) or jonnasankati ).And the next recipe with fish in Libyan cuisine is Hraimeh- which is fish pouched in a spicey tomato gravy flavoured with garlic and caraway powder. Here I go with Hraimeh recipe from Libyan cuisune.....
                                                                 

INGRDIENTS:---
Olive oil -- 3 tab sp
Water -- 1 cup (100 ml)
Lemon juice -- 1 tab sp
Tomato puree -- 5 tab sps
Garlic cloves -- 4 finely chopped
Salt -- a pinch or according to your taste
Cumin -- 1 tea sp ground(cumin powder)
Caraway - 1/2 tea sp ground (Caraway seed powder)
Paprika -- 2 tea sp (mix hot and sweet, I used Indian red chilli powder because we like little spicy)
Tuna Steaks -- 4 (140 g) You can use any other boneless fish steaks.
METHOD:--
1.Mix oil,water,lemon juice,tomato puree,garlic,salt and spices.
2.Pour in to a sauce pan and cook in a low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add the fish and cook, turn the fish both sides so it absorbs the sauce.
4. Cover the pan with lid and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes.
5. sprinkle with coriander and serve
This is my entry for 16th Mediterranean cooking event

LIBYAN HARISSA - LIBYAN CHILLI PASTE

Harissa is a red chilli paste which is very commonly found in North African cuisine. In Libya,Tunisia and Moroccan cuisine it is offen used as a condiment in meat dishes, stews, sauces and also in couscous. In Libyan Harissa is offen used as a marinate for meat.It is popular as a break fast spread, Harissa mixed with tuna is a favorite sandwich filling in Libya.There are many recipes for Harissa according to household and region.Variations can include the addition of cumin, garlic,mint,dry coriander and lemon juice.Comming to the chillies the main ingredient commonly used is piri piri peppers or serrano peppers or other hot chilies you can use less spice chillis also but that won't give a original flavour, olive oil is a standard ingredient.I came up with two recipes from my Libyan friends one is less spice and the other one is realy hot .The less spicer one include tomato puree that is gone very well with sandwich and salads.the other one Iam using as a marination and as a flavouring for stew s and curry's
                                                                             

INGREDIENTS:--
Red chillies --- 12 finely chopped
Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp
Garlic -- 6 cloves
Coriander seeds -- 1 tab sp (dry roasted)
caraway seeds -- 1/4 tea sp (dry roasted)
Salt -- 1/2 tea sp
Olive oil to cover the paste
If you like can add 1 tab sp of tomato paste to make harissa less hot
                                                                           

In a pan add chopped chilli s, garlic cloves, spices and tomato paste (if using) cook in a low flame till chillies are cooked.
Add salt and bleand in to a smooth paste.
Store Harissa in a clean glass jar top with a thin layer of olive oil.
This will stay for a month in fridge.
You can make Harissa with dry red chillies also in that case ..
Soak the dry red chillies in warm water for 15 minutes or untill chillies became soft then chop and bleand with other spices and little water (which we soaked the dry chillies) and pour olive oil on top to cover the paste.
If you are using dry chillies then no need to cook them, just soak the chillies till soft and grind .