Sep 20, 2014

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.

Sep 19, 2014

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.

Sep 18, 2014

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. 

Sep 17, 2014

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.

Sep 16, 2014

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. 


Sep 15, 2014

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.







Sep 12, 2014

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.   



Sep 11, 2014

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..

Sep 10, 2014

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.



Sep 9, 2014

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.



Sep 8, 2014

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.


Sep 6, 2014

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.

Sep 5, 2014

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. 



Sep 4, 2014

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...


Sep 3, 2014

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.   
        


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


Sep 2, 2014

Brazilian Torta form Brazil

Now coming to the second day of this culinary trip to around the world in 30 days. To day I have landed in Brazil. Brazilian cuisine is a mixture of European and African cuisines. Brazil is a tropical country, before immigrants entered in to this country They have their own ingredients in their cooking. Like cassava(manioc),  When immigrants from Europe entered in to this country, They brought wheat and leafy vegetables. When potato are not available they included sweet manioc in the place of potato. Then Africans also have their role in developing Brazilian cuisine. Japanese immigrants gave their Asian touch  to Brazilian cuisine. So many waves from immigrants, They brought some of their typical dishes, replacing the missing ingredients with local ingredients.But still the traditional dishes have their own place. Coffee is a favorite drink and Cachaca sugar cane based drink is a national cocktail. Rice and black bean stew is a national and very popular dish. coconut is widely used in some regions and plantain, pineapple and pappaya are the favorite fruits.
Brazilian cuisine has it's various regional typical dishes. Due to the abundance of forest and fresh water fish and cassava are the staple foods in the North. In south rice and beans are an extremely common dish along with fish and beef. Feijoada black bean and meat stew is a very popular dish. North east Brazilian cuisine is heavily influenced by African cuisine. Vatapa is a very common dish in this region. Vatapa is made with shrimps coconut milk and bread and acaraje a black eyed peas paste balls which are deep fried also came from African cuisine and many more like this.Finally Southern Brazilian cuisine is highly influenced by German immigrants. Here food is based on red meat along with red meat pastas, sausages and desserts are very common.
Now coming to, to day recipe is Brazilian Torta. in some cuisines Torta means a yeast based bread, but here in Brazil it is a pie. Which looks like a pie but with out crust  and recipe sounds like a Frittata, but frittata recipe doesn't have flour and milk. Can use any vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, green peas, zucchini. Even I have seen this recipe with grated chow chow which is a popular vegetable in Brazil. Apart fro vegetables you can add shard meat or tuna fish. You can make this as a dessert too by adding plantain. you can serve this for break fast or dinner and also a small piece with a cup of coffee as a snack.
To day my recipe is with vegetables.
INGREDIENTS:---
Onion  --- 1 big sliced
Tomato  ---  3 medium sliced
Broccoli  ---  cut in to small pieces 1/2 cup
Green bell pepper  ----  1 medium sliced
salt to taste
Oregano   ---  1 tea sp ( i used dried)
Mix all the chopped vegetables in a big bowl add oregano and salt mix well and set a side.
NOW FOR THE FLOUR:---
Flour   --- 1 cup ( i used whole wheat flour you can use APF or Maida)
Milk   --- 1 cup
Eggs   ---  3 large
Baking powder  --- 1 tea sp 
A pinch of salt
METHOD:--
Put all the ingredients in a blender jar and blend well to combine every thing, make sure there are no lumps.
Grease a baking dish with little butter, pour a little flour and milk batter and spread the entire bottom of the dish.
Now place the vegetable mixture and pour the remaining milk and flour batter on top.
Bake the torta in a pre heated oven for 60 minutes at 200 degree. This baking time bepend up on your oven mine took 60 to 65 minutes.
Insert a tooth pic and check if it is done the remove and let it stand till it become to room temperature then cut. When it is hot it is a little difficult to cut so let it cool and then cut.
Serve with any salad or with a cup of coffee


     

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

Sep 1, 2014

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).  



Aug 5, 2014

Oats Rava Palak Dhokla

Final recipe for this week BM theme. Again this recipe I have adopted fro Tarladalal . Now I am totally addicted to these dhoklas because they are oil free, light on stomach and good choice for breakfast.Today my recipe is with oats and semolina. 
INGREDIENTS:---
Quick cooking rolled oats  ---  1/2 cup ground in to a coarse powder (I used safola oats)
Semolina (upma rava)  ---  1 cup
Curd   ---  1/4 cup
Chopped spinach   ---  1/2 cup
Chopped green chillies  --- 1 tea sp
Eno's fruit salt ---   1 tea sp
Salt to taste
METHOD:----
1. Combine oats, rava, green chilli, salt to taste, chopped spinach, 3/4 cup water, mix well and make dropping consistency and set a side for 15 minutes.
2. Just before steaming add fruit salt and 2 tab sp water mix gently.
3. Pour this batter in to a greased thali and spread it in to a even layer.
4. Steam cook oats and rava spinach dhokla for 8 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked.
5. Switch off the heat,remove the dhokla from steamer and leave it for 5 minutes the cut in to pieces.
Serve with green chutney.
Some Important notes:--
For this recipe also lightly dry roast rava.
Along with  chopped spinach you can add a tab sp of chopped methi leaves to make this dhokla more healthy.
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here
  

Aug 4, 2014

Beetroot Dhokla

Today is one more dhokla recipe but I gave a small twist to a traditional dhokla recipe. That is a healthy twist to a healthy recipe. I wanted to make Nylon dhokla for my second post. When I was making nylon dhokla for today breakfast, I got this idea of mixing some vegetables to the batter. First I thought of mixing carrot and beans. I was not much happy with that. 
                                                                  From last two months I made habit of having beet juice with my breakfast. Because beetroot is good for controlling blood pressure. I make my beet juice with orange or lemon or with any citrus fruits. When I mix my beet juice with milk that turn in to a beautiful pink color. Then I got this idea and mixed some beetroot pure with dhokla batter. But the color is little different then my beetroot milk shake. The taste was so yummm, green chutney is the best combination for this healthy dhokla
Lets check the recipe..
INGREDIENTS:---
Besan  ---  1 cup
Samolina (rava, upma rava) ---  1and 1/2 cup
Beet root   ---  1 medium size (peal and cut in to cubes the make a coarse paste)
Sugar  ---  4 tea sp
Ginger green chilli paste  ---  1 tea sp
Lemon juice  --- 1 tea sp
Eno's fruit salt  -- 2 tea sp
Oil  ---   3 and half tea sp
Mustard seeds  ---  1/2 tea sp
Chopped green chillies  --  1 tea sp
Asafoetida  ---  a big pinch
Curry leaves  few
Water   ---- 3/4 cup
Salt to taste.
Method:---
1. Combine besan, samolina, sugar, ginger green chilli paste, lemon juice, salt to taste mix well.
2. Now add beetroot pure, 3/4 cup water and make smooth batter, keep a side for 2 minutes.
3. Add fruit salt with a tab sp water and mix gently
4. In the same time grease a thali with little oil.
5. Pour the batter in to this greased thali and spread evenly.
6. Steam in a steamer for 15 to 20 minutes take it out from steamer and set a side for few seconds.
7. Now heat a small pan heat oil add mustard seeds let them popup then add chopped green chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves fry for a while and switch off the heat and add 1 and half tab sp water mix well.
8. Pour this seasoning over dhokla cut in to pieces.
Serve with green chutney.
Some Important notes:--
You can make this beetroot dhokla with khatta dhokla batter.
If you are making this with nylon dhokla batter they lightly dry roast samolina before using this gives a better texture.
You can increase beetroot pure as you like  
Can cook and make a paste with beetroot but I think it is not  good to cook that beautiful vegetable  many times. Any way we are cooking the pure with dhokla batter so That is enough I think.  
Let's check the blogging marathon page Here