Zaiqa

I am a big fan of kababs, be it sheekh kabab or tikka kabab or kofta kabab. I cannot resist them. I also love to cook kababs for potlucks, get togethers and parties. My guests are often served kababs as appetizers.

The fact that I like perhaps the most about kababs is that you can play with the ingredients and make your own flavor combinations. There is no limit to it. This time I added sundried tomatoes to kababs and the subtle tangy taste they imparted was wonderful. I also discovered an easy trick to make melt in mouth kababs, longer marination time! It works wonders, try it for yourself.

SunDried Tomatoes Galouti Kabab – Melt in mouth Kababs

Ingredients:

Lean Veal minced meat – 2 lbs
Onion – 2, small, finely chopped
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tsp
Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder – 1 tsp
Sun dried tomatoes in oil – 2, chopped fine
Garam masala powder – 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix it all thoroughly using your hands. Cover the bowl using aluminium foil and let marinate in the refrigerator for two nights.
2. Take lime size balls from the meat mixture and roll them into smooth balls. Flatten the balls into a small patty shapes and arrange on a aluminium foil lined and lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
3. Broil/grill them for 10-15 minutes per side and they are done. Serve as appetizer or along with Naan and Pulao as meal.

Luv,
Mona

One dish meals are a savior. In today’s revved up life, they are a time, fuel saver, and cleanup is a breeze. Tahari is one such balanced and nutritious one pot family meal that is very often cooked in Hyderabadi homes.

Aloo aur Gosht ki Tahari – Spiced Basmati Rice with Potatoes and Lamb meat

Tahari might be called as a cousin of Biryani. During the process of Biryani preperation, the meat and rice are layered and then cooked on dum (slow heat) in one pot. Whereas in Tahari, once the meat is cooked, water is poured to the meat and then rice is added and cooked along. There is no layering process in Tahari as in Biryani. The ration of water:rice has be perfect for a well cooked Tahari, or else you end up with a mushy mess.

There are two kinds of Tahari: 1. Minced meat+Rice Tahari; 2. Lamb meat with bones+Rice Tahari. Today I am writing about the latter one. The previous kind I have already blogged a while earlier. Adding tomatoes to Tahari is optional. I have always seen both my Ammi and my Mother in law add tomatoes to Tahari, but there are some that do not suggest it. I prefer to add tomatoes as it gives a nice flavor to the dish that I love. However you can avoid adding tomatoes if you want.

Aloo aur Gosht ki Tahari – Spiced Basmati Rice with Potatoes and Lamb meat

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice – 3 cups
Canola oil – 1/2 cup
Onions – 2 cups, sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Salt – 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Mint leaves – 1/2 cup, loosely packed, finely chopped
Cilantro – 1/2 cup, loosely packed, finely chopped
Red chilli powder – 2 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2, large, diced
Potatoes – 2, large, quartered
Yogurt – 1 cup, lightly whisked
Lamb meat with bones – 650 gms
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Juice of a Lime

Method:

1. In a vessel, add rice and wash it in 2-3 changes of fresh cool water. Then, soak it in surplus fresh cool water for about 30 minutes while you prepare the following meat preparation.
2. In a pressure cooker at medium high heat pour in oil and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onions. Stir fry them until they are golden brown in color. Add ginger garlic paste and fry along for a minute. Add red chilli powder, salt, chopped tomatoes, chopped mint and cilantro and turmeric powder and mix well. Cook for 2-5 minutes until the tomatoes are mushy. Add the lightly whisked yogurt and keep stirring for a minute. Add the quartered potatoes and mix. Let cook covered until the potatoes are tender (test using a fork) and oil has separated. Add the lamb meat with bones and mix well. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Cover with the lid and pressure cook until the meat is tender. Open the lid and add garam masala powder and lime juice. Let the mixture cook until oil separates. Now pour in about 4 cups of water, close the lid, increase the heat and let it come to a boil.
3. Drain the soaking rice and keep it ready.
4. As soon as the meat mixture begins to boil, add the drained rice and gently mix. Let it come to a boil again. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover with a lid. Let it cook till very little water remains. Keep checking it every now and then, and give a gentle stir everytime. Add a few splashes of water if you feel you need more water for the rice to cook. Once the water is mostly dried up, close the heat, but leave the saucepan on the hot stove so that a nice steam forms. Let the dish rest for 15-30 minutes. Serve warm along with a pickle or papad.

Note: You can even lightly fry the quartered potatoes before you add to the dish. I prefer not to.

Luv,
Mona

My love for Kulfa ki bhaji is beyond words. I adore the earthy taste of this succulent green leafy vegetable that is also a weed and rich in omega-3-fats and vitamins. It has thick and spongy leaves, and reddish stems, both of which are edible.

Names of this green leafy vegetable in other languages:

Portulaca Oleracea L. (Purtulacaceae)
English: Purslane, Garden purslane, Pigweed, Hogweed
Hindi: Khulpha, Khursa,
Bengali: Lunia, Bara Lunia
Maharashtrian: Ghol
Tamil: Pachiri
Gujarati: Luni bhaji
Telugu: Gangapaayala, Peddapaayala, Payala kura, Peddapaavila aaku koora, Goli Kura
Kannada: Doddagoni Soppu
Arabic: Ba’le, Bakli, Farfhin, Arnuba, Bighal, Barabra (Maghrib), Rijl, Rujila, Al-hamqa, Al-baqla, Badalqa, Kharqa
Armenian: Perper
Urdu: Kulfa ki bhaji
Greek: Glystiritha, Andrakln
Italian: Portulaca, Porcellana, Perchjazza (Bari, Apulia)
Spanish: Verdolaga
French: Pourpier potager
Turkish: Semizotu, Temizlik (Aksaray Province)

source: Wikipedia Commons

I was in Saudi Arabia the last month to visit the two holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah alhamdulillah, which must explain my absense from the blogosphere. To my surprise,I discovered Jeddah has become a mini version of Hyderabad. There are meat markets there that sell fresh Lamb meat from Hyderabad, lambs are I suppose shipped from Hyderabad/India/Pakistan and then slaughtered in Jeddah. And many restaurants that specialize in Hyderabadi food. I was amazed but equally happy. Also the fruit and vegetable market of Jeddah also called as the Halaqa is the biggest I have ever seen with so much variety of fresh produce that Jeddah is a foodies paradise for sure. (Susie’s Jeddah Vegetable and Fruit Market Album)

source: Wikipedia Commons

At the Halaqa there, I bought and alhamdulillah enjoyed many fresh fruits and vegetables which are otherwise not that easily available here in Toronto. The following is my mother in laws recipe. Succulent purslane leaves are cooked along with meat and the resulting dish is simply superb.

Kulfa Gosht – Chunks of Lamb in a succulent and spicy Purslane leaves mash

Ingredients:

Canola oil – 3 tbsp
Onion – 2, small, sliced
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Tomato – 2, small, diced
Red chilli powder – 2 1/2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Lamb meat with bone – 650 gms
Green chillies – 4-6, chopped
Kulfa ki bhaji/Purslane plants – 4 big bunches

Kulfa Gosht – Chunks of Lamb in a succulent and spicy Purslane leaves mash

Method:

1. Chop off and discard the roots, tough stem ends and any yellow flowers of the purslane plant. Use the tender stalks as well as the leaves and chop them roughly.
2. In a pressure cooker at medium high heat, pour oil as soon as it warms up and add the sliced onion and fry until lightly browned. Add ginger garlic paste and fry along for a minute. Add red chilli powder, salt, turmeric powder and diced tomatoes. Mix well. Add the meat and green chillies and stir to mix. Let cook until the meat is no longer pink. Add water to cover the meat and also add the chopped purslane leaves. Cover with the lid and pressure cook until the meat is tender. Uncover and let it cook for a while. Serve along with warm parathas.

Luv,
Mona

It has been snowing very hard here in Toronto since a few days. Everyday I get up, and draw the curtains only to see thick layers of snow on roofs, ground and everywhere. Even now it is still snowing.

source

Magical, amazing wonder, but still a pain as it needs shoveling everyday, makes walking and driving on the slippery roads difficult and dangerous, and the unbearable chilly winds. I am wishing that the sun comes out as soon as possible and I get to see color everywhere soon inshallah. In the meantime, keep warm everyone.

Capellini pasta rolls

I love to prepare khare seviyan, or sometimes a simple tomato and leftover chicken + oats soup for breakfasts as a change to the very usual parathas, idli, egg sandwiches or cereals. As the name suggests khare seviyan are savory thin vermicelli noodles cooked in a tomato based sauce. Easy to prepare, simple yet filling. You can prepare it totally vegetarian or add leftover prepared qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or even paneer if you wish. Other than enjoying it as a quick breakfast, I also sometimes prepare it as a snack or even as a packed lunch.

Khare Seviyan – Savory Breakfast Noodles
Serves – 5

Ingredients:

Canola oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Nigella seeds – 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
Green chillies – 4, finely chopped
Bell Pepper – 1, cut into thin strips (I used green bell pepper)
Tomatoes – 4, large, red and ripe, finely chopped
Leftover qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or paneer – 1 cup (optional)
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – 4 cups
Capellini pasta rolls – around 300 gms, broken into small pieces (or any semolina vermicelli noodles)

Khare Seviyan – Savory Breakfast Noodles

Method:

In a large pan at medium high heat, pour oil and as soon as it warms up add mustard seeds and nigella seeds. As the begin to crackle, add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add green chillies, turmeric powder and bell pepper. Fry them for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, leftover qimah or shredded chicken or lamb meat or paneer, salt and red chilli powder. Mix well and let cook covered until the tomatoes are soft. Add water and cover. Let it come to a boil. Once boiling, add the broken pasta and mix well. Let it come to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low and let cook until the pasta has absorbed all water. Serve immediately along with boiled eggs if you wish.

My blogger buddy Tamanna has recently announced an event she is hosting on her blog – ‘Winter Comfort Foods‘~ Classic home cooked meals that make you want to come home and whip up that favorite meal you learnt from your grandmother that gives solace when you are feeling low and uplift your moods. Especially good during this harsh winter season. So do drop by her blog to go through the details and join in the fun.
Khare Seviyan is my contribution to the event she is hosting.

Luv,
Mona

It had been quite hectic since Bakr-Eid with get-togethers and celebrations going on quite often in our circle of friends. Had a very good time along with loved ones, but it all left me tired and didn’t give me any time to sit back and unwind, forget about blogging. Nevertheless I am happy now to get back to my usual routine and enjoy the daily grind. Perhaps I am one of those people who prefer a familiar routine rather than the unusal and atypical cycles.

Lamb Roast

The last Eid I had prepared Dum ki Raan, where a whole leg of lamb is marinated overnight and then slow roasted in the oven until so tender that the meat literally falls off the bone. This year I tried my hands on Lamb roast, my mother in law’s recipe, and it was absolutely delicious. The method is as simple as it can get with the use of only the basic seasonings and ginger garlic paste as the meat tenderizer. To prepare, all excess fat from the lamb leg is removed and discarded, deboned and then the meat is cut into chunks. The meat is then allowed to marinate overnight and then roasted on stove top until perfection. The trick is to ask the butcher to give you the best quality lean meat and then to marinate it overnight. There is no need for commercial meat tenderizers at all.

Lamb Roast

Ingredients:

1 Leg of Lamb- deboned, fat removed, meat cut into big chunks, washed and pat dried
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – to taste

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, add ginger garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and lemon juice. Marinate the meat chunks in the above mixture overnight covered in the refrigerator.
2. In a large, wide and thick bottomed preferably non-stick frying pan, add the chunks of meat along with all the marinade and arrange in a single layer. Let the meat cook on high heat and keep turning after a few minutes, not too often, until you see all the pieces have nicely browned on all sides. You will see a lot of moisture that will be released during this process. Once the meat has properly browned on all sides, add about 3/4 cup of water and cover with a tight lid. Lower the heat to medium and let cook until the meat has become tender. This might take 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once done, serve immediately on a platter garnished with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onion rings.

This is my first contribution to the Hyderabadi Bakr Eid Food Festival that I am hosting this month on my blog. Click on the link or the logo for more details. The logo for the event is:

Remember that the event is on and you can all send in your entries to me before December 31, 2010.

Luv,
Mona