Friday, August 29, 2014

Lamb chops with pilaf

Long time ago I got lamb chops from one if the halal markets and I made them. Boy! Did they fly

After that I never got them again because they were so expensive . This time I went to get the meat and there were lamb chops pre packaged, expensive of course but I got them. And man do they taste good

To serve them I made a simple salad and Mediterranean pilaf with about 1/4 cup wheat. Those wheat gave the pilaf anice chewy   texture. Loved it. So here is the recipes

Lamb chops


Ingredients
  • 1. 2 lbs lamb chops (about 12)
  • 2.1 table spoon plain yogurt
  • 3. 2 table spoons oil
  • 4. 1 teaspoon salt, chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger garlic paste
  • 5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, garam masala

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together except oil and marinate the chops 1 hr to overnight. In a cooker heat one table spoon oil, add the chops and 1/8 cup water and cook for three whistles. Let the steam escape and open the cooker.  


This is to make the chops a little less tough because I am serving them to kids with loose teeth.


Heat the remaining oil in a flat pan and dump all the contents of the cooker to it. Fry the chops till the water evaporates and then they become dark in color. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Tuna buns

The trip to Hawaii was a memorable one. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have taken in a very long time. The sunrise was awesome, but I didn't get to see the sunset. One of the things on my bucket list is, to see sunrise from the water and the sunset into the water on the same day. That didn't happen on this trip.

Anyway, on one of those days on Oahu, we went to get breakfast and there were these tuna filled buns which I had to try. I am not a big fan of fish and fish for breakfast was just weird. But I had to try it cause I wasn't sure we will be back at that place again.

I have never eaten something so good. The bun was super soft and the tuna salad inside was delicious. So I made it and they turned out great. My kids loved it...which shows the success of any recipe.

The original recipe is from Cucumbertown.com

Tuna buns
Tuna Buns (Fresh baked buns with Tuna filling inside)
Tuna stuffed bun


Ingredients:

  1. 1 package dry yeast
  2. 1/2 cup warm water
  3. 1/2 cup each of milk, oil, sugar
  4. 3 cups all purpose flour
  5. 1 egg beaten 

Tuna Filling Ingredients:

  1. 2 can tuna drained
  2. 1/4 cup each of sweet relish, mayonnaise
  3. 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients for the tuna filling and set aside until ready to use

Add the yeast to the warm water and 2 teaspoon sugar and set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat the milk to warm and add sugar oil and salt and mix till sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup all purpose flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the beaten egg and yeast mixture and the remaining flour and mix well with your hands. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Oil and bowl and leave the kneaded dough in it covered with a kitchen towel in a warm place for about and hour or until the dough doubles.

Once it doubles punch the dough down and divide it into 12 equal parts. Flatten them into about 5 inch discs, add a heaped teaspoon of tuna filling and reshape them into balls. (My tuna filling was enough for 8 buns) (The rest I filled it up with a teaspoon each of strawberry jam in 2 and peach jam in 2). Leave the buns aside for 20 minutes

Pre heat the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes brush the buns with white egg wash and sprinkle with dried oregano and bake for 2-3 more minutes until golden brown. Let it cool for atleast 5 minutes before serving
Strawberry jam filled bun

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Egg Salad Sandwich

The other day there was this news on Yahoo.com about the most favorite sandwiches depending on the searches. The third most popular was the egg salad sandwich. Since I had most of the ingredients at hand I made it for dinner. And it was yum yum yum all the way

Egg Salad Sandwich (Egg salad on toasted bread
Egg salad sandwich

Ingredients:

  1. 2 eggs hard boiled, peeled and chopped
  2. 1 tablespoon mayo
  3. 1 tablespoon relish
  4. 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  5. 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery
  6. 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper (or salt and pepper to taste)
For the sandwich
  1. 1 cup finely sliced lettuce
  2. 2 slices of your favorite bread toasted (I used Sour dough)
  3. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (if you want)
Mix all the ingredients for the salad and store in the fridge until ready to be used

Toast the bread. Add the lettuce on top, topped with the egg salad. Spread the dijon mustard on the top bread slice, cut it into half. Serve with potato chips and a spear of pickle of you like. Enjoy

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Soya pilaf with Trinidad chicken curry



Today being the weekend it's time for the special lunch. Today's menu is soya chunk pilaf with coconut flavoring served with spicy Trinidad chicken curry. It is from one of the programs on the food network

Spicy Trinidad chicken curry (Chicken curry in a spicy sauce)
Spicy Trinidad Chicken Curry
Ingredients

1 lb chicken breast cut into bite size pieces

For marinade
  1. 1 half of a medium chicken
  2. 1 medium tomato
  3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  4. 1 jalapeƱo or 2 thai chillies
  5. 2 big or 3 medium garlic pods
  6. Handful cilantro


For cooking
  1. 1 tablespoon oil
  2. 1/2 of the above chicken chopped
  3. 1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
  4. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  5. 1/2 teaspoon mustard paste
  6. Few methi seeds
  7. More salt if needed


Gring the ingredients of the marinade into a smooth paste and marinade the chicken for atleast 2 hrs 

In a pan roast the methi seeds for a minute. Add the oil and add the mustard paste. Mix the garam masala and turmeric in half cup water and add it to the pan. Cook stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add chicken and stir and fry for 5-7 minutes. Add about 1-11/2 cup water bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until oil separates. Enjoy the spicy Trinidad chicken curry hot with hot white rice or any pilaf

Soya Pilaf with Coconut flavor

Soya pilaf with Coconut
Ingredients
1 cup soya chunks
2 cups rice cooked to about 4 cups
1 teaspoon salt divided
1/2 teaspoon cumin, urad dal , chana dal soaked in water for 10 minutes, coriander. Powder
2-3 green chillies sliced
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut flakes

Soak the soya chunks in 2 cups of hot water with 1/2 teaspoon salt for about 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze the excess water and set aside

In a pan heat the oil and add the cumin, urad dal and chana dal and green chillies and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add coriander and stir well. Add coconut milk and flakes and add rice and mix well. Reduce the heat to low and cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Mix well once again and add cilantro and enjoy







sweetened condensed milk

I have more than half a gallon of milk in my fridge which I need to use quickly before it expires and I have to pay my condolences to it. So I decided to make sweetened condensed milk with it and gobble it up

It takes up some time but otherwise it's soooo easy to make and you know home made foods are always better than the store bought things

Sweetened condensed milk
Sweetened Condensed milk
Ingredients
5-6 cups whole milk
1/2 cup white sugar

Add the sugar to the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it be on gentle boil for about 45-60 minutes or until you get the creamy light brown colored condensed milk look. Cool and store it in a glass container for upto 2 weeks