~*Qubooli*~

I had made another Classy dish of my Mom  few days back and was wanting to share with you all too, the time to jot down the detailed recipe was missing, so today I sat down to do it :)

 It’s a famous "Hyderabadi Qubooli" made with Minced meat and all what is important to make it yummilicious : )

Mom had done many changes according to her taste and imagination, so this may seem different, but once made and eaten, you will never forget, this is my garantie : D

The memories of eating this years back made from Moms hands..., is till day today fresh in mind..... How i miss it....

The topping of it with fried potato is the highlight and Mom's own creation, which gives this dish a more richer taste, but at times when I am lazy I just fry the French fries: / this too tastes good; but more of a ready made chips taste, it should be crispy and fresh : ) so best is with the self made fresh potatos, no second view :D

Of course the ones in layers get soft, but the ones i save for the top are super crispy.

I usually prepare one part ahead and assemble it the next day if I have any guests; the best thing is that it tastes yummier the next day and that too; cold : ) I just lovvvvvve it!!!!!

So this is what we do. The process will seem long as the list is long but once you start to make it, it’s not more than making any Biryani preps : )

The more effort the yummier the taste as Mom used to say:

“Jitna gurr daloogay utna meetha hoga “means jitni Mehnat utna maza : )

I prepare all before hand as i start off, so here are the preps you can do one by one to make it easy in the end.

**1 cup daal channa( Bengal gram)

(wash and soak overnight)

This is important because the grains grow flatter and larger and are the beauty in the rice !

**4 cups rice (wash and soak 15 minutes and then boil with 3 tsp salt,as we make normal khushka,(plain white boiled rice) drain and keep covered so that they don’t dry

**I add Anis star, sticks of cinnamon, cloves and black pepper

**Boil eggs, slice them and keep aside

**Chop the bunches of coriander and peppermint

**Wash 3-5 green chilies or as many as you like, I love them so I add a lot, I love the hot taste with rice :)

**1 tbs Zarda rang (yellow food color)

So we need:

** 750 gram minced meat (I use half lamb half beef)

4 large onions (fine sliced)

3 large tomatoes (fine sliced)

5-6 green chilies (slit In the middle)

1tbs grated fresh garlic

2tbs julienne cut fresh ginger

6-8 curry patta 

**Spices:

1 ¼ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp coriander powder

1 ½ tsp roasted cumin powder

½ tsp almond powder

½ tsp turmeric (haldi)

¾ tsp garam masala

2tbs tomato paste (you can use thick purée too)

2tbs of mixed whole spices:

Black pepper corn, cloves, big cardamom, cumin seed

¾ cup oil

**for the layers 

5-6 hard boiled eggs

1 bunch fresh chopped coriander

½ bunch fresh chopped peppermint

1 large onion fried brown and crispy

1-2 large potato fried (cut in small cubes and shallow fried)

-heat oil, add the whole spices let splutter a bit

-add onion, fry evenly till nice light brown

-add the curry patta and fry a bit

-now put in the minced meat and sauté till all changes color

-Sprinkle the garlic to kill the smell

-add half the ginger and mix all

-the meat will leave juices so keep stirring on low heat

-the meat should not dry and form balls!

-Now sprinkle the spices one by one except the garam masala!

-Keep stirring, now drain the water and add the daal into it

-mix all well, and add the rest ginger

-mix in the tomato paste/puree and mix all

-we add NO water to it, all gets cooked in the tomato and meat juices

-now lay all sliced tomato slices and cover the lid to cook

-in around 20 minutes you’ll see that the daal is ¾ soft, let it stay so as we don’t overcook till mushy!

-now sprinkle the garam masala and keep it a bit slanted on any wooden coaster so that the oil gathers on one side

-drain that oil in a small bowl for the layering

-now cut the potato in cubes and fry on a medium heat till they seem roasted and cooked

**Now start the layering:

-spread the drained oil

-spread the rice

-top with mince/daal mixture

-lay slices of eggs all around

-sprinkle some potatos

-lay chopped coriander/peppermint/green chili

-sprinkle some fried onion

-again rice and once again the same process

-Save some fried potato for the top deco!

-Now make 5-6 deep holes with a wooden spoon’s back

-And sprinkle the zarda rang ( yellow food color) directly into the holes and close them

Cover the pot with an alu-foil piece and set it on steam (dumm)

First on the highest flame, as soon as you see the steam coming out of the pot, turn down to the lowest and keep it on the stove for around 10-15 minutes

Insha’Allah they'll turn super!!!

As you dish out the Qubooli, set the rest fried potatoes and the fried onions on the top

I sprinkle pomegranate seeds on it too, gives a very tangy taste,ultra delish!

It’s a very rich and heavy dish and a delight for the eyes and soul and the tummy…!

**Family Gatherings**

Hello my dear viewers, hope you all are still there dropping by off and on :)

Quite a while that i uploaded anything, reason: life has become a bit busier than usual and eating habbits have taken a back seat :)

I had guest over from different parts of Europe, more of a family gathering after a long time and the last week was spent more or less in my favorite place my Kitchen my territory :-) 

Few things were on the wish list and few were on my menu plan, the recipes can be found right here on this site.

Food tastes better when you eat it with your family, i read this saying some time back, and that is so true, the joy the fun is no doubt double so great, sitting together, chatting and enjoying eating my delsih food :-D ( show off)

I'll uplaod few pictures from 'The Table'

Stir-Fried Beef on a bed of Rice with grilled Vegetable. I fry them and grill in the oven

The potato cutlets are an all time favorite from everyone so they are a must item which cannot be missed :)

A sunny boy's wedding bells are nearing and we celebrated a pre-ceremony, so i made "Petit Four" for him, basically worked with organic lemons and cream, spread the lemon glaze with a pearl on the top,that was a treat for the soul :)

Memories are made, when gathered around the table

Food is our common ground, a universal experience

James Beard

"Families that eat together, stay together" (Unknown Autor)

The brunch is the most important enjoyable part of our family sittings, a hearty start of the day with all what the tummy finds yummy :D

The sweet dessert was on the wish list, it is the traditional 'Ice-cream' made with milk and cream and garnished with nuts in and out and spread with a real silbver leaf on the top....kept to freeze over night.

A dream dessert :)

The Chai snacks are an all rounder, any time, any where, any quantity they are always on the table as an energizer, Chick pea Salad which is tangy and spicy with that extra tamarind chutney oh yummmz :)

 Opppssss the kling was still stuck on :-D

My Niece turned a bit more wiser and younger ( not older as i still have to live a few years ;-) so i baked  Melt-in-mouth Choco cuppies for her with vibrant colors topping according to her chirpy nature :)

Recipe will follow soon :)

Few bakings on the agenda in the coming days, so keep tuned and cheers :-)

**A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY**

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE AMAZING MOMS IN THIS WORLD.....💗

Robert Browning

💓"Motherhood: All love begins and ends there."💓

Rudyard Kipling

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.

A Wonderful day to all the Moms who are the cornerstones of the Family 💓

Shaami Kababs (Mincedmeat and Chickenmince Patties)

Hello my dearest friends, 

I know i have been absent since a long time and not been able to upload my new recipes :(

Life has become quite busy with one or the other thing,eating habbits have changed too :)

Things i make are either already here or i have no appropriate pictures to upload 

I am sharing this post extra on the request of my dear sweet girls Sayra, Luisa and Naomi :)

It is an old recipe at least 7 years old.... and so are the pictures, not at all fancy ones,but tasty ones :)

There are two recipes, one from the Mincedmeat of Lamb/Beef, the other is with Chicken mince.

Hope you enjoy trying it :)

Here you go:

Mincedmeat  Shaami Kabab

I have always heard it’s such a fuss when it comes to making shaamis. Either they are too dry or they are too watery and soft. It all depends how you cook the mixture from the start and what spices you take. How you dry it and what is the correct ratio for it..

I love eating them but honestly I too had problems making them : ) My Mom the wonderful Chef she was, made it so often, we used to have them on Fridays with the Parathas, the special weekend brunch : )

I used to dry up till the end and in result had broken patties :I so the tip Mom gave me always worked, yes we learn by doing and making blunders, believe me no one is perfect from day one : )

Mom used to make small pieces of meat and boil that, that’s the best, but now a days where we are already on a rocket working like robots I think best is to have the meat minced and then cook : )(laziness’  :D )

So let’s start; I use half beef half lamb because only lamb meat is too dry, and only beef is too greasy, so half makes a good combo. 

Ok so the description is long but my best to explain well,hope it works : )

Don't pay attention to the pic, its not that good as the taste, but then the best i could manage while guests sitting around to start and my foto shooting on:)

1 kg Minced meat (half/half) Beef and lamb

250gr Daal Channa (Yellow Lentil: Bengal Gram soaked overnight)

1 big Onion

1 inch Piece of fresh ginger

2 pods of Garlic

1 tblsp ground black pepper

6-7 whole red chilies

1 tblsp Salt

1tsp Red chili flakes (more or less to taste)

1 tblsp crushed coriander

1 tsp white cumin seeds

1tsp Garam masala (level) ( A mix of all spices)

1 ½ bunch Fresh coriander

½ bunch Fresh peppermint

2 inch shredded fresh ginger

4/5 Green chilies

2 medium Eggs

4-5tbsp Lemon juice

(1-2 tbs yoghurt in case of emergency)

Tip: Never put cloves and cinnamon, as that affects the exquisite smell of the shaami kababs!!! Cinnamon has a very ruling aroma!

*Soak the daal Channa over night

*next day, wash and drain and add all the spices to it

*along with the minced meat and let it cook with ¾ glass of water

*I don’t take much water as the mince leaves its own too and there is where you have difficulty in stirring it dry!

* When the daal is done, cook on a high flame to dry the rest water.

*Don’t dry each drop, there has to be some moisture to bind it.

*If in case it gets too dried up, the patties will break.

(So then my Mom’s tip, add yoghurt to it to make it softer and then make patties and keep to rest before frying them. Insha’Allah they are perfect.)

As the mixture is ready turn it over on a flat tray so it can cool a bit and then grind it but take care NOT to grind it too much into a paste form it should be a bit coarse!!!

Now chop the chilies, onion, green masala(coriander/mint) and ginger, a bit coarse and mix it in, add the beaten eggs, lemon juice and now sprinkle the garam masala and knead all together,(by adding garam masala while cooking gives a dark color) remember the more the green masala, the more tastier it will be!! I use lots of fresh ginger and mint gives an Ahhhh so yummy taste : )

I sometimes also fill in the shammi with all the green masala and ginger like the shikum pur instead of mixing it in, and that tastes very good too, depends the way you like it.

Make flat patties; dip in a beaten egg white and shallow fry. We exclude the egg yolk because that gives it an Omelet’s taste : ) You will see the difference when you only use the egg white. I drizzle 2 drops of milk so it gives them a nice gold color. 

Mincedmeat Shaami Kabab

Chicken Shaami Kabaabs

(Courtesy Aisha Nadir, thank you sweet heart for this yummy recipe)

I make the chicken shaami, but never added potatoes to the mixture, so as my dear friend Aisha Nadir Shah, made them, I wanted to try and see how they taste.

I must say they taste really nice, soft yet firm, don’t break, because the potatoes starch holds it firm. I used chicken meat instead of beef..Worth trying them!!!

1 kg meat beef

(I took chicken breast fillet instead of beef)

boneless...cut them in small cubes

2 tbl spoon ginger garlic paste

8-10green chilies 

8-10 red chilies whole (round) 

1 tsp garam masala powder 

salt to taste

½ cup channa  daal 

1 big onion in big cubes

2 medium potatoes with skin

just wash the potatoes and cut them in big cubes

-put everything in a pot, cook till the meat is done

-dry the water, while doing that check the salt and add 

more if needed

-let it cool

for garnishing:

½ bunch coriander finely chopped

½ bunch mint finely chopped

3-4 green chilies finely chopped (or to taste)

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 eggs 

-grind the prepared meat in a food processor

-add all the chopped green masala, onion & egg.

-mix well.

-make small patties & shallow fry them on medium heat.