King Prawn Curry (Jheenga Karahi)

Prawns are such a delicate delight, I love them so dearly and would eat them every week, ahhh…. no every day: )  I remember how years back my Dad the best in this world, used to get them from the sea side stores early mornings where the fishers  fetched them very fresh, and then we used to sit and watch how he cleaned them and then how Mom made this quick Karahi… It was the tastiest ever and I have never had THAT taste after that…. : (  Mom used to make the best Prawn Biryani too…. Those golden days…..

So this is how I make it as far as I can recall Mom darlings way :

500 gram king prawns
4-6 tbs oil
3tomatoes
3 tbs yoghurt
½ tsp Kalonji (black seeds)
1 medium onion ( fine thin cubes)
2 tbs fresh lemon juice
¾ tsp salt or to taste but better less!!!
½ tsp red chili powder
2 pinches of turmeric(haldi)
1 tsp corriander powder
3 green chilies
½ bunch of fresh coriander ( fine chopped)

-peel the tomatoes and take out seed of 3, let the rest two with seeds and cut in thin slices
-heat the wok, sprinkle the ajwain and let splutter
-now fry in the onion cubes in it till light pinkish
-give in the tomatoes and let cook till soft
-add in the yoghurt so it makes a thick gravy
-add all the spices, stir well on a low heat

-fry the prawns in 3-4 tbs of oil in a separate pan, on high flame so the water dries up quick
-sprinkle the lemon juice while frying, as they turn light pink, add them into the tomato gravy
-let simmer and add the green chilies in the end
-garnish with fresh coriander

 

:we use less red chili in it so that we can taste the prawns
:the green chili gives it a light hot taste
: I never use cumin, or garam masala in it
-but its your choice of course :-)

German Iceberg/Rice Salad

A very light and very tasty salad for summer, having that heavy duty lunch makes one more lazy so often make different salads which are light yet a complete meal : )Usually we have all these things at home so it’s quite quick to prepare and is very filling too : )

½ Iceberg Salad
100 gr turkey salami stripes
4 hard boiled eggs
1cups plain boiled rice (cold)
(means you cook only a ½ cup!!)
4tblsp Mayo
3-5 tbs milk ( to make it thin)
½ tsp mild curry powder
salt to taste (better very less)
1tsp Black pepper from the mill
1 tbs mix of dry tomato stripes and dill

-boil the rice before and let it cool down totally
-wash and dry the iceberg salad and cut into fine slices
-cut the turkey strips length wise
-boil eggs hard, let cool and then cut in squares

-make the salad mix:
-squeeze up to 4 tbs of mayo
-beat it slightly thin with the milk
-add curry powder, taste if u want more can add accordingly
-sprinkle the Black pepper and salt
-mix in the tomato mix
-now mix all with light hands so that the eggs don’t break off
- its ready to eat :)

Very simple, fast made, yet very filling!!

Note: Please make it as is, add no chives and coriander, no hot spices, only then u will have the real taste!!

Qallaqand

 

Hmmm I don’t know its origin but Its very similar to the Khoya, an more or less the same procedure to make it . Its made with milk turned into cottage cheese… and ….Its creamy and really very yummy simply Qallaqandish : )

So here’s the recipe will try to write it easily so u understand it, as its difficult to write the cooking  process some times J Its not so hard to make its only the correct timing you have to be careful of and a helper at your side to do all the washings ;-)

1 L milk atleast 4% fat
2-3 tblsp dry milk powder
2-3 tblsp lemon juice
½ cup cold water
2 tblsp dry milk powder if needed!!!

Mix the dry milk powder in the milk this makes it thicker and give it a boil, sprinkle lemon juice as it starts raising and take it off, pour the COLD water and let it stand for 2-3 mints, it will make like big big chunks don’t break them!!!

Now drain it onto a cheese cloth and wash it directly from the tap water so the sour taste of the lemon reduces, but don’t mix or mash with any spoon or hand; just lightly and then press out the remaining water by squeezing it from all sides, so your khoya is ready.

Next stage:

2 packs of heavy whipping cream

¼ cup thick condensed milk

½ L milk 4% fat (or any u get but NO fat free!!!!)

½ cup sugar

Pour milk, Cond.milk and whipping cream and let it cook at least ½ an hour so it starts getting thicker, it will take long so what I did I added in 2 tblsp of dry milk powder again to make it more thicker faster, as u feel that now the quantity is nearly half reduces, crumble in the khoya and mix all but don’t press it too hard only with light hands, mix all together and let cook, add in the sugar and keep stirring as now it will start jumping and shooting all around , I changed the pots thrice as to obtain the nice creamy colour or else it turns brown very fast, no matter if the pan is non stick it gets thicker and starts sticking so be careful and ready for it!!!

You will feel that the mixture is now leaving edges and is forming light dough so means it’s done.

Grease any steel plate or tray as it won’t stick on that but grease it with very light oil, I just wiped it with a kitchen paper dipped in oil, turn over the mixture and flatten it only a bit not tooo flat as it has to be in thick pieces and don’t press the surface as it should give an like uneven look like khoya J

Sprinkle chopped nuts, your choice and just let it cool for an hour in cold room temperature, then make pieces and eat …

Try not to store it long as it can get bad fast due to so much milk, so best to keep it in the fridge

Penne with Veg/Chicken.. Baked in Cheese Sauce

300gram mixed Veg

( i used the frozen mixed pack, with broccoli, carrots, peas, maize, cauliflower, celery)
*cook Veg in ¼ cup water, don’t let it over cook, and should stay crunchy!!!
*As water dries, fry this all in 1 tbs butter slightly and set aside

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2 chicken breast fillet (in stripes)
*cut 1cm strips of the fillets and fry them in 1-2 tbs butter till gold brown
*sprinkle some black pepper and salt to taste, set aside

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300grm Penne
*boil according to instruction, drain and set aside
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For Cheese sauce:
30 grm butter
2tbs flour
300 ml fresh milk
250gr cream cheese (Gouda or any cream cheese available there)
100gr grated cheese (Gouda)
100 gr Parmesan cheese
Black pepper, salt, nutmeg, dry herbs = all to taste

*Heat the butter in a pot
*Mix in the flour and fry till light pinkish
*Pour the fresh milk and which all till one boil
*Mix in all 3 sorts of cheese and mix well
*Sprinkle the spices and the dry herbs; let it boil 2-3 times till it has a bit thick consistency
*now pour this on to the fry Veg and mix very gently

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*take a casserole and grease the bottom with some butter (just brush)
*spread the Penne till ¾ of the casserole
*spread the fried Veg/cheese sauce evenly all over the Penne
*the Penne will seems soaked in it, that’s ok
* now sprinkle the fried chicken strips all over on the top
*sprinkle some grated cheese and nutmeg in the end and bake in a preheated oven
* 180C° till the cheese is baked, and the Penne has absorbed the cheese sauce
Its indescribable yummmz: )

Happy Baking!!!

Imam Bayildi (Türkisch)

There is a very interesting story behind this dish, there are so many versions, the name means " the Imam fainted" I asked my Turkish friend if there was any reality in the different stories and she said yes it is but which :) thats a good question but the most commen heard is this one. I have copied it from the net as is:

The story goes that it was invented by the daughter of an olive oil merchant who married an imam. He thought the dish was so delicious that he fainted on the spot. And that is where the dish gets its name. In Turkish, Imam Bayildi means, the imam fainted.

“But there’s another version of the story. Some people say that when the woman married the imam, her father the olive oil merchant, gave the couple, as a wedding gift, a fortune in the most precious olive oil he had in all his stores. After the wedding festivities — and there are quite a bit, you know, a party before the wedding, a party after the wedding, a party after consummating the wedding, party after party — they settle down into married life. And she invents this stuffed eggplant dish for her husband, who absolutely loves it. So he asks for it every night. And she makes it every night. And then one night shortly thereafter he asks for it but she can’t make it because they’re out of olive oil. And the imam thought of the amazing fortune in olive oil, how delicious it was, how expensive it was, how you have to use so much of it cooking eggplant, how it was all gone, and that was when he fainted dead away

Hope no one faints making and eating it , but it is really delicious no doubt :) Here you go

2 egg plant (halves)
2 onions (fine sliced)
4 garlic pods (crushed)
2 tomatoes (diced)
1 bunch parsley (fine chopped)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp sugar
½ black pepper
7-8 tbs olive oil
1 cup cooked rice

-cut the egg plant in halves, don’t remove the stem
-scrape the veg pod/flesh carefully and cut in dice
-heat 4 tbs olive oil in a pan and place the egg plant shells in it

 -add in some crushed garlic so it gives a good aroma
-keep changing side while they fry and get a nice fried color
-Take out and keep aside
-now in the same oil fry the sliced onion till light brown
-add in the egg plant flesh/pod and mix gently
-sprinkle the rest garlic and mix all
-now add the tomato and the spices and let the water dry up
-in the end add ¼ of the rice and chopped parsley and mix all gently so it does not become mushy
-Now stuff the egg plant with this filling till the top evenly
-lay out a casserole with the rest rice and place the stuffed egg plants on it
-sprinkle some rest parsley on it
-drizzle the rest 4 tbs olive oil direct on the egg plants and the rice round around
-now bake it in a preheated oven on 150°C till the stuffing seems a bit light brown
-don’t over bake as the rice will get too dry and won’t taste
-it’s a complete meal and you don’t need any extra rice with it

Enjoy and DON’T faint while eating this yummilicious dish : )

Crispy and Nutty Baklava

Till long I believed that this delicate sweet dish belongs to the Lebanese and I thought wow what an invention, but lately I happened to talk to many friends and to my surprise it has a Turkish back ground.. Here is what I found while surfing in the Net for some more info :

The history of Baklava is as diverse as the number of ways it is prepared and the number of countries that claim its origins. Is it generally accepted that Baklava came to us from the Assyrians at around 8th century B.C. Layering nuts with a simple unleavened flat bread and drenched with honey. As only the wealthy of the time can afford this simple luxury, baklava was held as a special dessert for those in high positions of society such as monarchs and kings. In Turkey, to this day, one can hear a common expression: "I am not rich enough to eat Baklava every day".

Anyway who ever made it it’s DIVINE and a must try for all : )
Since I have started making it myself believe me I safe a sack of Euros lolzz as its so of Gold rate here : )

1 pack of phyllo pastry (400x300)
2 cups of crushed nuts
Walnuts/almonds/pistachio
½ cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Juice of ½ lemon
250 grm melted butter

-First of all make thick syrup of honey /sugar/water and lemon juice
-cook till you can smell honey over all in the kitchen
Now start with the pastry:
-Take a wooden cutting board to work on it
- lay one sheet of the pastry brush with butter
-lay another over it brush butter again
-now sprinkle with nuts all over
-cover with a sheet, brush butter
-another sheet and again brush butter
-take a wooden spoon with a long tail
-place it on the sheet and roll it tightly into a roll
-now gently pull the roll off the spoon so that it gets some crinkles
-place the first roll into the greased casserole
-you need a casserole of size 10”x8” brush the bottom of the casserole with butter
-Repeat the same process till your casserole is full with rolls
-now cut small pieces with a sharp knife gently
-bake in a preheated oven on160° for around 20 minutes or till u see they have turned golden brown
-take them out, cover tight with a foil and push it back in the oven again for another 10 minutes
-now take it out uncover and pour the syrup with a deep spoon on each line of roll
Slowly and evenly. You will notice that there is too much syrup but its okay coz the pieces have to absorb the syrup to become crunchy and yummy :)
-after pouring all the syrup let the casserole rest for at least 2 hour so all pieces absorb the syrup and then all sets down and the top dries up into a crunch!
Sprinkle some left over nuts all over, it’s ready to serve! Divine out- and- out!!!!

JALEBI

I always loved this sweetmeat and as I came here after marriage I literally craved for it but didn’t have it here. So I got together with some friends and we tried different ways, many put yeast in it and it fluffed up like a ballon: ) Then we tried to use simple atta that made it hard.

So finally we used very less ingredients and got a better result and then we thought well its very simple not much into it for best results : )

So here is actually really the best recipe with very few ingredients but top out come!!! Just follow the instructions as is as it’s only a matter of practice. If at first time it doesn’t turn out good that’s normal we really need to be patient and cool : )

I make my own self raising flour always also for all  my cakes, so here you go:

If you don't have SR, follow this recipe:

1 cup flour
1tsp level baking powder
sieve both so that they mix in well together

And now the normal recipe...
To make the batter:
1 cup SR flour
2 pinch yellow food color
cold water to mix

To make the syrup:
3 cups sugar
1 ½ glass water

Method:
Make the sugar syrup, let it cool completely, it should be thick, only then will the jalebi will get its taste.
Mix the flour, with the food color and mix it with COLD water, it will start turning very sticky like glue, keep mixing strongly with a whisker till the batter is very creamy but not runny.

I use the icing set which is used for cakes and fix the tinniest nozzle on it as when you drop the batter in the oil it will increase in size so better use the smallest one, now heat the oil, fill in the icing device, and go round around with it dropping it in the oil and make the form of jalebi .

Don’t fry too long you will feel as the color changes to a light brownish orange, take it out and put it directly in the syrup BUT take it immediately out after 4-5 seconds!! If it stays long it will become very soggy, to have it crunchy you have to hurry, place them on a grill so that the extra syrup runs out, don’t cover them they will stay crunchy 100%

ENJOY and do share your experience :)

Spicy Fish Fry

 

A savoury  which can be eaten any time, simple, spicy, hot, healthy, and a warmth for our tummies : )I usually make it when i cook my Hubby's favorite lentil, as they go best with it :) A fresh homemade chapatti with a lill' bit of butter and fried fish... wow i am in heaven :)

*4-6 Fish fillet (Pangasius filet)
*¾ tsp salt
*¾ tsp red chili flakes
*½ haldi(turmeric powder)
*½ tsp ajwain (celery seeds)
*½ tsp aamchoor ( dry mango powder)
*1 tbs crushed fresh garlic
*1tsp white cumin seeds (crushed)
*5 tbs fresh lemon juice
*½ tsp garam masala (all spices)

*Wash and make 3 pieces of each fish filet
*Mix all spices in ½ cup oil into a smooth mixture
*Prick the fish with a fork and rub this mixture over the fish pieces.
*Leave it in the fridge for an hour or two.
*Shallow fry till it takes a nice brown color
*Garnish with fresh lemon and salad leaves
*i used my Julienne Cutter for the cucumber:-D
*Serve with Garlic green chili raita(Yoghurt dip)

Very tasty and crispy!!!