Yummy Sweet 'n Sour Plum Chutney

 

Plum Chutney (Aloocha/Aloo Bukhara Chutney) is a must with our salty snacks, kababs and pakoray and of course the rich rice dishes :)
Though I personally like imli(tamarind) chutney with dahi baray or dhai phulkiyaan but this chutney is super with kababs and special rice dishes . I ate this at the wedding this week and wanted to have it only with spoon (greediness hehehe) so I thought I will make it for sure and store it and eat as I want to : )

 

 

 

I did not use fresh plum and used no color in it, I bought the dry fruit ones which were half dry and half fresh and were seedless.
For friends who live in Germany can buy this easily at Lidl or Penny it’s the “Getrocknete Pflaumen! They are soft and cook very fast

 

So this is how made it
You need:

200gram Plum
100gram brown sugar
½ tsp red chili
¼ tsp salt
3-4 tsp tamarind paste (imli)
2 glass water
8-10 Almonds (in halves)

-place the plums in a sauce pan, fill in 2 glasses water
-add in the salt, sugar, red chili and set it to cook
-it will take around 1 ½ hours till it forms a thick sauce
-add in the tamarind paste and let cook again
-as you see it seems sticky and brown take off the stove
-now take out 5-6 plums out in a separate bowl
-with the help of a hand mixer make the rest into a fine purée
-the chutney will become really thick as it should be
-now add the separately kept plums back in the pan 

 

 

I use tamarind to make it sour, many use vinegar but I don’t like the sharp taste of it , the tamarind makes the sauce a bit brown but then … so what : ) it’s the taste what counts : )
I boiled the almonds as the sauce was cooking, don’t cook them too much, this makes the almonds brownish, just give 1-2 boils as we just have to peel them.
Slit half and just sprinkle on the top as the chutney is ready.
The crunchy almonds give such a nice taste and look beautiful white flakes in brown sauce : )
Just let the chutney cool down completely and preserve in a glass bottle in the fridge. It stays well quite long, just never use a wet spoon in it, this causes fungus in it.
Have fun making it : )

 

 

**Step by Step Samoosay**

                                                        

                                                            (click on Picture for a larger Image)

                                                                   Final Product

 
 
 
For the recipe pleases check this blog by giving it in the search "Samoosay"

 

**Mincemeat Kachooriyaan**

Kachori is a very popular spicy snack belonging to India. Basically stuffed with Daal or Vegetable.

It's made of flour pastry fried into very crispy flaky balls. Of course with the time we have done many variations in the stuffing, it's the most eaten favorite snack in Lahore.

 

I have tried the recipe of Ruhina my dear Sis, who tried one of the Chef's recipes, and her result was so outstanding that i had to make them :)

 

 

 

 

I made a step by step collage for my friends who would like to try and find it difficult,it's a must try at least once :) They come out so very flaky and as my Sis described so nicely:

 

 

** Grab one.. make sure no one is around close. And then .. bite in.. delight in the flaky crispy kachori...and don’t worry about the flakes all over the place.. a kachori must be enjoyed :D **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am writing the recipe in Ruhina's words as is, and in the end you can follow the step by step to make it more clear :)

 

Recipe Courtesy Ruhina Hashmi

I’d been wanting to make this since ages.. just never got round to it... because its a bit of a lengthy process and what with fasting and all.. but anyways.. today I thought .. its now or never So here goes:

This is another Chef Afzal Nizami recipe..

For the dough:
500 grms flour = maida
1 tsp salt
Room temp water

Knead a soft dough – it should be neither sticky nor hard. Soft and pliable. Cover and let rest for half an hour. Make small peras and cover. Let them rest.

Meanwhile,
Fry 3 medium chopped onions in a little oil.
Once golden, add
Salt to taste
1 level tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp haldi
1 tsp zeera powder
1 tsp dhania powder
3 grated cloves of garlic

Once the spices are mixed in, add ½ kilo mince meat. Sauté well and cover. Let it cook. Once done, let it cool down. Once completely cool, add a bunch of chopped mint.

Also,
Mix 3 tbls flour with 6 tblsp ghee. The resulting ‘batter’ called ‘sandh’ should flow but not be thin.
Set aside.

To assemble
Roll out a small pera. Spread a tbls sandh over it. Fold over one side to half the rolled out pera. Apply a little sandh again, and fold the other side over it. Then fold from the sides, once from the right and once from the left. Make a small square. Cover and rest for 10 mins.

To fill
Roll out the little square. Place 1 tbls filling in the center. Pick up the sides and hold together lengthwise. Pick up the ends and twist in the middle to ‘lock’ the kachori. Flatten it a bit, coat slightly in flour and rest covered.

To fry
Heat oil in a karahi. Check if oil is hot enough by holding a wooden skewer in the middle. If bubbles form around it, its hot.

Place the kachoris inside and let them cook.. The MOST important thing is, the heat must be LOW. When u put the kachoris in, the should just come to rest at the bottom. Once they cook from inside, they will float up. Then turn and fry golden... Drain in a sieve.. 

 

 

Step by Step

 

 

The End Product

 

 

 

**Revani** (Turkish Semolina cake in sugar syrup)

 I have always known it as the Turkish Syrup Cake, but lately as I was discussing with a friend she said, there are different opinions about it, the Greek claim that this is actually  their cake, and the Turkish say the same : )
I have always seen it at the Turkish shops and at family friends being baked as a daily sweet dish… so I name it the Turkish Cake as well : )

It is made with semolina and really a lot of sugar syrup : ) but tastes very good the next day! Don’t be worried if you see it drowned in the syrup,  all this is absorbed and makes the cake soft as a sponge.

The amount of sugar seems too much but it is desolved and is divided on the whole tray and is also left over,and honestly it’s not more than in the desi sweet dish or any chocolate we eat nonstop : )
So here’s how it’s made:

I am writing all in grams as the majority of us uses grams for baking.
 In the Turkish cousine and also in many Asian countries they often use cups as measurements  and i acually also do the same :) 
Making a dough for breads or cakes, cups are handy and quick to use:)

So here we go:

3 eggs
100 gram sugar
100 ml oil
50 gram yoghurt
150 gram flour
150 gram semolina
1 ½ tsp baking powder
Dash of salt

For the sugar syrup:
500 gram sugar
750 ml water
4-5 tbs fresh lemon juice

For Deco:
Desiccated Coconut
Grinded Almond
Pistachio
Or according to your personal choice

*First of all make the syrup and set aside to cool

*add the lemon juice in the syrup after you have removed it from the stove and it is a bit cold, not in hot syrup.


* first beat eggs till creamy, add in the sugar and beat more
*mix in the rest ingredients one by one and beat all on high speed at least 3 minutes
*spread in the greased baking tray, I used the oven baking tray to get nice even square pieces, you can bake it in a 28” round form too, 
but then the pieces are too huge to eat : )
*bake in a 170°C preheated oven for 25-30 minutes
*keep a check, till it is nice brown not dark, insert a tooth pick to check
*take out and let the cake cool a bit
*now cut pieces evenly or as you wish
*now start to pour the syrup slowly all over, best is to use a deep soup spoon, it will keep absorbing so pour again and again till you see it coming out from the bottom and the surface of the cake will seem wet
* it may seem soaked but don’t worry all will absorb in few hours
*we don’t serve this cake immediately, as then it is very sweet
*best is to make it 3-4 hours before you have to serve
* it was best the next day, light sweet but very spongy and soft
*the semolina gets soft yet you feel the coarse taste which tastes good
*after you have poured the syrup now sprinkle with coconut and grinded almonds and pistachios

***The Fruit Cocktail Trifle***

 

 

Too heavy and rich Cals!
Easy peasy but time demanding :/

I think this is the easiest dessert one can make, but only if you buy all readymade stuff, but if you prepare all fresh at home then its equal time consuming like any other desi sweet dish : )
I bought the fruit cocktail tin and did the rest.

 

We need time for each layer when things are hot, it was my choice to buy readymade pudding and jelly and cake but what is more better than making all yourself, clean and fresh : )

So what I did was:

I baked a small vanilla cake(with just 1 egg)
Made custard (Bird’s custard powder)
Made jelly (Noor strawberry)
Whipped cream (double-cream)
1small tin of Pineapple
1 large tin of cocktail fruit

*chill the double cream and whip it with the cream stabilizer so it stays stiff and gives you a very good firm structure while coating
*make the custard and let it cool down, I kept it in the sink full with cold water
*make jelly and take out3-4 tbs in a small bowl, rest let to cool, again in the water sink. But it should not set so just mix slightly with a spoon form time to time till the hotness is finished

 

“”Here I must tell you, the packet of Noor Jelly that I bought gives no instruction! I tried to read all with a magnifying glass lolzzz that may be I can’t read properly but NO …. I had had a bad experience once earlier as I added 2 mugs (I read it on the packets we get here but I don’t buy due to animal gelatin in it)
Any way so that was a blunder…..So this time I acted smart : ) I rang my Sis in Lahore and asked her the exact way : )
So for those who also have this problem:

Its 2 tea cups for 1 packet of Jelly! Boil the water, mix in the jelly, let cook , just mix slightly with a spoon and let stay. It will set slowly! That’s perfectoooo!!!! “”

So now back to the recipe: )
*whip the cream and keep in fridge before hand
*Take a broad transparent bowl ( the layers should be seen : )
*lay slices of the cake all around
*spread the cocktail fruit all over only one layer don’t double!
*pour the cool jelly on it and spread with spoon all around
Let the jelly set and become rim (around 15 minutes)
*divide the custard on 2 bowl, and mix in green color in one
*now spread the yellow custard evenly
*lay cake slice again
*spread the green custard evenly
*now spread the cream on the top most with a spatula even and fine
*remember the jelly in a separate bowl??? Turn it out on a cutting board and chop it with a sharp knife/or use a small whisk to break it
*it will look like crushed ice; now with a small spoon decorate the top
* place pineapple pieces in-between
*Keep to chill over night

 

 

 

Tadaaaaaammm your Trifle is ready !
Yes as many say it’s a child’s game BUT one should know how to play nicely : )

**EID-UL-FITR MUBAARAK TO ALL**

My Heartily good wishes for a very Blessed and Happy Eid-ul-Fitr to all my dear Friends and Members who visit my blog:)

Thank you for joining in!!!

Muza'aafar with Nuts and Khoya...

It's time for Eid-ul-Fitr goodies and i thought to share this classy reicpe which was always  my darling sweet Mom's speciality

Another delicate and a very rich sweet dish which she used to make very often. I remember I had so many tries to have my hands set on this That’s why I say it’s delicate : ) This was a must on Eid, but also when we had guests Mom used to make it in no time.
It’s fluffy, its ultra tasty and it’s simply deliciousssss : )

150 gr vermicelli (sewiaan)
2 big spoons Ghee( clarified butter)
5-6 green cardamom seeds
½ cup sugar
½ glass water
¾ cup grated, Almond/pistachios/fresh coconut stripes
6-7 saffron threads

Khoya:

1 cup Nido milk powder
2-3 tsp sugar

Make big crumbs mixing the Nido powder with spoon wise water,
it shouldn’t be sticky, just that u can part uneven small pieces of it.
Fry them very fast in hot ghee or oil,
only FEW SECONDS
they will puff up as u fry them take them out and lay on a kitchen paper.
I have no specific time to tell its just according to your eye feeling.... get me??


Heat Ghee, throw in cardamom seeds to splutter.
Fry the vermicelli light brown.
Sprinkle few drops of water over it to make it a bit soft.
The reason why i do this is, that while fryingthey start to get very crispy so to avoid that and to keep them soft the few drops of water makes it perfect :)

Make the sugar syrup in a saucepan with 2-3 threads of saffron.
Just give one to two boils.
Pour the syrup over the fried vermicelli and mix thoroughly.
Spread the grated/crushed nuts all over and the rest saffron threads.
Spreads the khoya over all don’t mix!! Cover the lid.
Put it on a low heat they will become fluffy in the steam..

ATTENTION: don’t use a stainless steel pot or pan, as the vermicelli sticks very soon and will become crusty!!! And we want it to be soft and fluffy!!!

Creamy and Delicious Dates

A real pleasure to have in Iftaar. Make then today and i'm sure you'll make them daily :)

I crushed the almonds with skin, filled in the dates and covered with a thick layer of thick cream. Chill before Iftaar. Unbeatabe in taste!!!

Note that soft and juicy dates are best for this, the hard ones won't give you this taste of " melt in mouth" :)

Enjoy the Creamy Treat!!!!!!

**Namkeen Boondiyaan**

Boondiyaan are drops made with the normal chickpea flour, they are dropped through a sieve with thick holes in it. A very hearty tea time snack and very favorite specially in Ramadhan. The salty taste is a delight after the days fast :)

I remember as Mama dear used to make these always as a side dish whenever she cooked any Daal : ) We ate it after the lunch with so much chutney on it and did …ccccc..cccccc and ate even more : )

There are so many memories attached to this one dish, living in Kuwait we didn’t get all those typical big small sieves for this purpose, of course we did have the ones to drain rice water, or wash Vegetable but the specific to take out boondiyaan was missing.

So what dear Abbajan did, he took an old frying pan which had may be served us quite good and was in his retirement age lol; and drilled so lovely even holes all around, We as kids were so excited to see the end result and kept pointing and showing him… here too and here too … I’m not sure if we still have it somewhere…I so wish those days come back….

Anyway so Mama used to make in big bulks and she had those big jars which we call “Martabaan” where she filled it, and we used to eat them as a dry snack coz the simple besan tasted so good and really so yummy : )
Sorry the story was so alive that I got carried away… so back to the recipe…

I also make and preserve in tin boxes, they stay good and soft, you just soak them before you need them…So simple
I actually never measure as after some time one only knows how to make them but I have measured it so you can have an idea : )

2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
½ cup soda water(Fizzy or gassy water)
½ cup or may be more or less water
1tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp chaat masala
¼ tsp cumin powder

*just mix all dry ingredients and mix with the liquids
*take care, it should not be very runny nor too thick
*mix and leave it to set, as the soda water brings air in it and it becomes very fluffly, and as you fry them you feel the soft structure yet crispy
*now pour with a deep spoon in any borad sieve with big holes and just press it thru , the drops will fall in the hot oil and get cooked very soon
*if you have no such sieve you can use a normal slotted spoon
*after frying just put them in a sieve, let cool and then save in any tin box or glass jar

Here I have made 1 bowl:
1 cup boondiyaan
1 bowl hot water
300gram yogurt
1 large boiled potato (fine cubes)
1 red onion (fine sliced)
3-4 green chilies
Salt to taste
½ tsp chaat masala
¼ tsp roasted cumin powder
1tbs sugar
Some pepper from mill

*soak bonndiyaan in hot water for 2-3 minutes
*drain out on a slotted spoon, just pressed very slightly and put them directly in the yogurt
*let it rest 15 minutes so they absorb yogurt
*serve with Imli Chutney a must!!!
I also make papurri with it as it is yummy crunchy but had no time so dint make:/ you can sprinkle Chewra on it makes crunchy noises : )

Spicy, juicy XL Chappli Kababs/Mincemeat Patties

Chapplis are famous beef patties belonging to Peshawar Pakistan and also Afghanistan. They are originally made with really greasy fat meat and many use extra fat to make them juicy and soft. The scrambled eggs gives it a classic touch. It's a good rich meal and eaten very heartily :)

Many ways and styles to make them, all different taste and spices:) But the main out put is the same "They are adorable and yummmyz"

700 Gram minced meat
3 eggs (scrambled)
2 large onion crushed
2pring onions fine chopped
½ bunch fresh coriander
1tbs fresh crushed garlic
1ts fresh grated ginger
2tbs oil
1-2 small seedless cubed tomato

Puree of 2 Tomatoes

1tsp Salt
1tsp Red chili flakes
½ tsp Garam masala
1tspWhite roasted zeera powde
1 ½ tbs crushed coriander seeds
2 pinches baking powder
1tsp rice flour (grind plain rice till very fine)

-beat the 3 eggs and make a soft scrambled egg and let aside
-Mix all ingredients into the minced meat, with all the spices and knead well with hands.
-This will be a bit softer and will seem loose because of tomatoes but it is good as we have to spread it later
-now add in the scrambled eggs and mix all gently
-Make a bit thick sized kababs and place them in the fryin pan and then spread more with your fingers, and fry them on a slight high heat.
-Don’t keep pricking them while frying as all the juices will release and they may become hard
-They will shrink while frying so try making them your palm size.
-sprinkle fresh lemon juice before u serve
-Serve with salad and chutney!!!