Zaiqa

This is a guest post by Rubina of All Floured Up. She is a new mum and a big foodie at heart. Her blog is full of delicious recipes to try. Please welcome her! ~ Mona

I’m Rubina from the food blog “All Floured Up” and today I’ve got a delicious and super simple recipe. It’s a slow cooker recipe for butter chicken, and to make it even better, I’ve made this a healthy version.

This butter chicken is creamy, spiced perfectly, and comes together so quickly. I used Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream as a finishing “healthy” touch. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe!

Slow Cooker Healthy Butter Chicken
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken leg meat, cut into 1″ pieces
Chicken marinade: 1 tbsp tandoori masala, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp yogurt.
1 tbsp butter
2 14 oz can tomato sauce
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic, paste (3 large cloves)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, paste (1.5″ piece)
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp tandoori masala
2 cups nonfat Greek yogurt
Naan/rice for serving
Cilantro for garnish

Instructions:
1) Marinate the chicken pieces in the chicken marinade (tandoori masala, ginger/garlic paste, and yogurt).
2) In a pan, melt the butter and quickly stir fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes on high heat. It doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through.
3) In a slow cooker, add the tomato sauce, onion, garlic paste, ginger paste, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, garam masala, tandoori masala, and the partially cooked chicken (and any juices left in the pan).
4) Set slow cooker on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Cook until chicken is soft and sauce is bubbling.
5) When chicken is cooked, take the Greek yogurt in a large bowl, beat it so it softens up a little. Add 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce from slow cooker to thin the yogurt a little.
6) Stir the yogurt with the chicken gravy, cook for 10 more minutes in the slow cooker.
7) Serve hot with rice, naan, and of course, garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!
***If you don’t own a slow cooker, simply combine all ingredients and cook on lowest heat setting on stovetop in a pot for 2 hours, until sauce is thickened. Stir every 20 min or so to ensure no burning. Finish up with step 5 from above.

~Rubina

[My friend Wardah from CMW group on facebook and the author of Best of Wardah blog, is here to share with us all her recipe for these amazing Parathas that are nutritious as well as lip-smaking, and therefore great to eat especially during the month of Ramadan! Please welcome her. Thanks Wardah!~Mona]

Mothers are the best cooks, we all know that. This amazing paratha recipe is from my beautiful mom, Farhana. She’s a health nut and that is what is so special about these healthy whole wheat, fiber full parathas. With ingredients like flax seed, wheat germ, and oat bran, you may be put off from this recipe, but I will attest to their delicious flavor and amazing affects on my body! With benefits like being high in fiber, being heart healthy, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, these parathas are really something else. My family eats one paratha each every day in suhoor, and we love it. We stay full much longer during these long and hot fasts. A pat of butter or ghee on the roti will make it healthy and fattening for your little ones. Hold the ghee for the uncles and aunties though, and it is the perfect accompaniment to any desi meal – delicious, wholesome, and healthy. Enjoy!

Healthy Whole Wheat Parathas
(Thanks to RK Pakistani Collections for compiling the recipe)

Ingredients
1/2 cup Oat Bran (Heart Healthy, Lower Cholesterol, Weight Loss)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ (Good Fiber, Balance Cholesterol & Blood Sugar)
1/2 cup Flaxseed (High Fiber, Omega-3, Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer)
1/2 cup Wheat Bran (High Fiber)
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 pkg Tofu (Meat Substitute, Lower Bad Cholesterol, Lower Risk of Cancer)
Green Tea (Antioxidants, Weight Loss, Reduced Risk of Cancer)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt

Steps:
1- Boil and seep 1 cup of green tea as instructed on package.
2- Add all the ingredients except green tea in Kitchen Aid or Food Processor.
3- Add room temperature green tea gradually until the consistency of dough is reached.
4- Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
5- Make at least 18-20 parathas.

That’s all!
Wardah

I am very happy Aisha of Kitchen Sojourn is guest posting on my blog today. I am a big fan of her simple and delicious recipes and her blog inspires me. Please welcome Kitchen Sojourn to Zaiqa. And please do visit her blog, its a gem and you will all love it for sure.

A healthy delicious Somali dish perfect for Ramadan. This comfort food rich in protein surely brings strength to the body and revitalizes it. The meat, spices and veggies incorporated in this dish constitute a flavorful and wholesome meal when served with rice.

Somali Style Goat Curry & Mixed Veg Pulao

Ingredients for goat curry:
1/2 kg goat cut in cubes with bone
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Zeera dhania (cumin and coriander seeds) powder – 1 tsp
All spice powder 1/2 tsp
1 tsp lemon juice
2 medium sized onions sliced
4 medium tomatoes sliced
3 jalapeños diagonally sliced
A cup of chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Oil 3-4 tbsp
Method:
In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and cilantro. Marinate this for half an hour. When its done, heat oil in a pressure cooker then add the marinade. Pour a cup of water and pressure cook for 15 minutes on low heat after the first whistle. If you are cooking in a non stick pan, add water accordingly and cook until the meat gets tender. Open the lid and transfer the curry into a large non stick pan. On medium to high heat cook until the curry is thick enough, then add tomatoes and jalapeños and saute them for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes start losing water. Now its time to add the onions and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with mixed vegetable pulao and raita.

Ingredients for Mixed Vegetable Pulao:
2 cups basmati rice (washed and soaked)
4 cups water
1 chicken stock cube
Half cup frozen mixed vegetables rinsed
Half tsp black pepper powder
Half tsp curry powder
Salt to taste
Oil
Method:
In a non stick stockpot, heat oil and then add mixed vegetables, black pepper and curry powder. Saute for two minutes and then add water and chicken stock cube. Add salt according to your taste and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts to boil add the soaked rice. Cover the lid and cook on low to medium heat until the water dries up and the rice becomes tender . Serve it with the goat curry!

Luv,
Mona

As many of you might know, my lovely friend Lubna over at Yummy Food hosts a wonderful Ramadan Event at her food blog every year that showcases Ramadan recipes from around the world. Month long, utterly delicious ramadan recipes by food bloggers from the world are published and I always look forward to what the next recipe is going to be every single day.

Lubna has requested me to contribute to her event, which I was very excited about. I was immensely busy and inspite of being very late, Lubna was very sweet and patient with me <3 I came up with an easy recipe for chicken sliders for iftaar/dinner. For the recipe, please head over to Lubna’s blog and check out my guest post at Yummy Food.

Luv,
Mona

Blessed Ramadan Mubarak Everyone!

A few days back Lubna, the author of the wonderful food blog Yummy Food, had contacted me to do a guest post on her blog for Ramadan. And the first thing that popped into my mind was this gorgeous Roohafza Milk, my love since I was a little child.

For the entire month of Ramadan, Lubna is hosting Joy From Fasting To Feasting –VI event, featuring delicious Ramadan recipes by Muslim Food bloggers from around the world. A special thanks to Lubna for coming up with this wonderful idea and for hosting this event.

Thank you Lubna for letting me share your gorgeous space. Head over to Yummy Food for the recipe.

Have a blessed Ramadan everyone!

Luv,
Mona