Chicken Pilau

Ingredients
2 cups rice; washed and soaked in water 
1 chicken, skinned and cut into 8-10 pieces
1 lemon; juiced
3-4 cloves garlic; minced
2 inch piece of ginger; grated
2-3 green chillies; minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 small potatoes; peeled and cut into halves
4 tablespoons oil
2 inch stick cinnamon
3 cloves
3 pods cardamom
6 peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion; chopped finely
2 large tomatoes; peeled and blended
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
4 cups chicken stock or water
1 heaped teaspoon salt
for Garnish
1 onion; cut into rings
pinch of salt

Method

1. Place the chicken in a bowl and add lemon juice, garlic, ginger, chillies and salt, mix and marinate overnight or at least 2 hours.
2. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in saucepan (large enough for all the chicken and rice) and saute the potatoes, remove and leave aside.
3. Place 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the onion to be used for garnish and leave aside (optional)
4. Place 2 tablespoon of oil in the saucepan, add the cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cumin seeds, as soon as they pop add the chopped onion, fry until golden brown.
5. Add the tomatoes, mix and cook for 5-6 minutes, add the yogurt, cumin and coriander powders, mix and cook for a couple of minutes.
6. Add the chicken, mix, until the chicken is coated with the tomato and onion sauce.  Cook for about 7-8 minutes.
7. Add the potatoes, chicken stock/water, salt and drained rice, bring to boil and then cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Place on a serving dish and garnish with the fried onions.

Plain Paratha

Ingredients

2 cups (250mls) chapatti or whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 table spoon oil

200mls water

1/2 cup olive oil for frying

Extra flour and oil for rolling the paratha

Method

1.       Sieve the flour, add salt and oil,

2.       Using your fingers mix until it looks like bread crumbs, slowly add the water to make a firm dough. Knead well, leave aside for 30 minutes

3.       Divide the dough in 12 lemon sized balls

4.       Take one ball of dough and roll it into a 10cm circle, place a pinch of flour and half a teaspoon of oil in the centre of the rolled dough, then bring all the sides to the centre and seal, trapping some air in the centre of the ball.

5.       Make it into a perfect ball, press it down to make a disc like shape, and roll out into 16cm circle.

6.       Place 1 teaspoon olive oil in a hot tava  or frying pan

7.       Place the paratha carefully and fry both sides for couple of minutes each side.

8.       Repeat until all the paratha are made.

Maani / Roti / Chapatti / Indian Flat Bread

Ingredients
2 cups chapatti or  whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tablespoon (22ml) oil
200ml lukewarm water
50ml olive oil to smear over each chapatti

1. Add the oil to the flour and use your hands to mix it in until you get a crumbly mixture
2. Add  water gradually mixing between additions until you get a firm dough.
3. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.  Divide into 12 lemon sized balls.
4. Place a flat griddle or a tava on the stove.
5. Roll into a circle until it is about  16 cm in diameter.
6. Place the chapatti onto the hot griddle, cook for about 30 seconds and turn it over, cook for a further 90 seconds and turn it over again.  At this stage use a spoon or a piece of crunched up kitchen paper to pat the chapatti firmly.  This action will make the chapatii puff up. Remove when golden brown, about 60 seconds.
7. Turn it over onto a flat plate and smear with about a teaspoon of olive oil.

Makes 12.
Delicious hot, especially with sugar sprinkled on. 

Healthy Brownies (beetroot; almonds, gluten free)

1 lb freshly cooked beetroot; diced

6 oz dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solid); broken in pieces

3 eggs

6 oz brown sugar

4 oz ground almonds

3 oz cocoa powder

3 tablespoon rice flour

pinch salt

2 level tspn baking powder

1tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Sliced almonds

Heat the oven at 160 C, 325 F or gas mark 3

1.  Boil the beetroots for 40 minutes, skin and dice. Place in the microwave for 3 minutes

2.  Add the dark chocolate, mix until it melts, liquidize.

3.  Whisk the eggs and sugar.  Add the ground almonds, cocoa powder, rice flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla essence.
4. Fold in the beetroot/chocolate mixture.
5. Place on a greased baking tray (approx 12 x 9 inches), sprinkle the slice almonds
6. Bake for 35 minutes.
7. Cut into 2 inch squares

Vegetarian Seekh Kebab - Mushroom and Bean Kebab

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion;  finely chopped
400g mixed mushrooms; chestnut, oyster, portobello; finely chopped
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 inch ginger; grated
1 green chilli; chopped fine
1 teaspoon freshly roasted cumin; crushed
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tabllespoon chopped mint
400g tin black beans; washed and drained
1 cup bread crumbs
50g goat cheese

1. Fry the onions in a large frying pan until golden brown, add the mushrooms, garlic, ginger, chillies and cumin.  Cook until almost dried.
2. Place in a large bowl let it cool a little, then add the chopped coriander, mint, beans, bread crumbs and goat cheese.
3. Mix well.
4. Form long sausage shapes press onto wooden skewers.
5. Broil under a hot grill until crispy, about 7 minutes per side.
6. Serve with a green salad and nan bread.

Indonesian Seafood Satay

1/2 lb prawns
1/2 lb haddock or cod
2 oz dessicated coconut
2 tablespoons coconut milk
6  kaffir lime leaves; finely cut
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal
1 inch fresh turmeric
1 inch ginger
 12 skewers


1. Grind the fish and prawns until smooth.
2. Add the dessicated coconut and the coconut milk
3. Grind the shallots, garlic, ginger and tumeric root and add to the mixture with the kaffir leaves
4. Make long sausage like shape on the skewer.
5. Place in a hot grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side
I served them with peanut sauce

Syrian Chickpea Fatteh Salad

I first had this in Syria in 2008 for breakfast.  It can be very healthy if you use low fat yogurt and bake the bread and nuts instead of traditional frying.  I had it for my lunch on Saturday.

400g tin chick peas

1 cup strained Laban or Greek-style yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pitta bread

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon melon seeds

1 tablespoon slivered almonds

Salt to taste

A little olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sumac

1. Set the oven at 180 degrees centigrade

2. Split the pitta bread and cut into small wedges

3. Oil a baking tray with olive oil, place the bread pieces, brush a little olive oil on tops of the bread pieces.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, until crispy

5. Wash the chickpeas and place in a pan with enough water to cover, bring to boil and simmer.

6. Add the garlic and salt to the yogurt mix and beat well.

7. When the pitta is ready, place the nuts and seeds on a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown

8. Place the crispy bread pieces on a plate, pour a little of the hot water from the chickpeas over them.

9. Place all the chickpeas over the pitta bread, cover with the yogurt / garlic mix.

10. Garnish with the seeds and nuts, and a little sumac

enjoy