Chicken cacciatore with garlic and rosemary focaccia

Chicken cacciatore with garlic and rosemary focaccia (by chef abdul rehman)

Ingredients

For chicken cacciatore

Chicken leg cut:  250gm

Red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-wide slice:  10gm

Green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch-wide slice:  10gm

Yellow onion, cut to ¼-inch-thick wedges:  10gm

Zucchini, cut into thin rounds:  5gm

Yellow squash, cut into thin rounds:  5gm
button mashrooms:  8 oz

Jalapeno, sliced thin:  2gm

Tomato puree or tomato sauce:  100gm

Sea Salt:  to taste

White pepper:  to taste

Sugar:  to taste

Large cloves garlic,chopped:  2gm

Cilantro leaves:  10gm

Basil leaves:  1gm

Bay leaves:  1gm

Vinegar: to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil:  50gm

For garlic and rosemary focaccia

White bread flour, plus extra for dusting:  500gm

Water, at room temperature:  300ml

Sachets dried yeast:  15gm

Sugar:  10gm

Sea salt:  5gm

Ground black pepper:  2gm

Olive oil:  100ml

Bulb garlic:  20gm

Spring of rosemary:  5gm

Eggs:  2

Method:

For chicken cacciatore

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Add chicken, skin side down; fry for 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add garlic,salt,sugar,white pepper and onions to pan, and fry until just golden brown for about 2 minutes; then add remaining vegetables. Sauté vegetables for approximately 5 minutes, then pour in a little vinegar and add tomato puree or sauce and bay leaves.

Return chicken to skillet, arrange evenly in sauce: reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for one hour.

Turn off heat. Lift chicken from skillet and transfer to a deep casserole dish. Stir cilantro and basil leaves into the sauce: pour the sauce over the chicken.

For garlic and rosemary focaccia

Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Mix well. Heat water and vegetable oil until warm, and add to yeast mixture along with the eggs. Blend with mixer at low speed until moistened. Beat for 2 additional minutes. Stir in flour while beating, until dough pulls away from side of bowl. Knead flour on floured surface. Cover dough with a bowl and let it rest for 5 minutes. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Roll out to 12 inch circle. Cover with greased plastic wrap and a cloth towel. Place in a warm place fpr 30 mintues.uncover the dough, and poke holes in it with a spoon handle at one inch intervals. Drizzle olive oil on dough, and sprinkle with crushed rosemary and garlic. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees c) for 17 to 27 minutes.

Serve with garlic and rosemary focaccia.

Sindhi Mango Chutney

This is an adaptation of popular North Indian mango chutney. Do not hold back on the hot pepper. Because of its complex flavors, this chutney goes with almost any meat dish, as well as winter squash and pumpkin pie.

Ingredients

1.   Dried dates, pitted and diced 12

2.   Half-ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into thin strips 2 punds

3.   Garlic flakes (garlic cloves cut into paper-thin slices, lengthwise) 25 flakes

4.   Ground cumin 1 tbsp

5.   Cumin seed 1/2 tsp

6.   Cardamom seeds 1 tbsp

7.    watermelon rind, diced in small pieces 2 pounds

8.   Ground hot pepper  to taste

9.   Sliced blanched almonds 1/2 cup

10. Pistachio nuts (sliced in half or coarsely broken) 1/2 cup

11. Ground cardamom 2 tsp

12. Ground coriander 2 tsp

13. Ground cinnamon 2 tsp

14. Ground cloves 1 tsp

15. Sugar 3 cup

16. Water 1 cup

17. Sea salt 2 tbsp or to taste

18. Vinegar 1 cup

Directions:

Soak dates in warm water for 20 minutes or until soft. Then discard water. Combine dates, watermelon, mango and hot pepper in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine nuts, garlic and spices; set aside. Combine sugar and water in a large, open pan and heat over medium.

Boil until sugar completely dissolves and a thick syrup forms (about 10 minutes).Add mango mixture and salt, and cook over medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken and is reduced by about half (allow 30 minutes).Add nut and spice mixture, then vinegar. Cook 5 minutes more. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.

Potato cutlet (Aloo ki tikkiyan)

Potato cutlet (Aloo ki tikkiyan)

8 medium potatoes, fresh coriander, fresh mint, 6-7 green chilies, ½ ts pomegranate seeds, 1 ½

crushed red chilies, 1 ½ ts salt, 1 ½ ts cumin seeds, 1ts whole coriander, 1md onion, egg and oil.

Boil potatoes, mash roughly, grind pomegranate seeds and dry coriander, cut onion, green chilis,

 mint and fresh coriander finely, add every thing and mix, make tikkiyan dip in egg and fry.

Fruit chat

Fruit chat

Ingredients:

1. Banana  3 (slices)
2. Apple 1 (chopped)
3. Guava 1 (chopped)
4. Pear 1 (chopped)
5. Mandarin orange 2 (slices)
6. Pomegranate ½ cup
7. Grapes ½ cup
8. Chick peas ½ cup
9. Sweet potato ½ cup (boil)
10. Lemon 1
11. Orange 2 (for Squeeze)
12. Salt (to taste)
13. Sugar 4 tablespoon
14. Black pepper powder 1/3 tsp
15. Fruit chat masala powder 1 tsp

Method

Slice bananas, squeeze lemon juice over, add mandarin orange slices, add chopped apples and chopped Guavas, add chopped pear, add sweet potato, chick peas, grapes and add pomegranate. Squeeze mandarin juice over all the fruit, and then add the Spices. If you don't have the dahi vada/chaat masala, it's OK u can make it with the lemon juice/salt/black pepper combo alone. Enjoy it.

Papaya Health Benefits

There are many papaya benefits for your health and this beautiful orange/yellow tropical fruit is proof that nutritious food can also have an amazing taste.

Papaya has high nutritional benefit. . It is rich in Anti-oxidants, the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber. Papaya is a rich source of vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin K.

Papayas contain soft, easily digestible flesh with a good amount of soluble dietary fiber that helps to have normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation.

Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu. The juice of the papaya aids in relieving infections of the colon and has a tendency to break down pus and mucus reached by the juice.papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.

The seeds are antihelmintic, for expelling worms and they are given with honey. Chew and swallow two teaspoonfuls of seeds after each principal meal (three times a day). Extracts of ripe and unripe papaya fruits and of the seeds have been found to be active against gram-positive bacteria, and in strong doses against gram-negative bacteria.

The leaves are poulticed onto nervous pains and elephantoid growths. They are also dried and infused to make a tea which is used as a vermifuge, an amoebicide, a purgative, to prevent and treat malaria, and as a treatment for stomach troubles and genito-urinary ailments.

Regular use of the fresh fruit on the face often leads to an improvement in the tone, texture and appearance of our skin and even a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. Papaya is a great skin-firming and anti-aging mask. Mash the uneaten Papaya with or without milk and apply on your face. It helps in removing blemishes, dark spots, evens out your skin tone and brings a glow to your face.

Use mashed papaya for cracked and sore heels.

Papaya juice recipe

Ingredients

1  cup fresh ripe papaya chopped and chilled

2 tbsp. honey

few mint leaves(optional)

1tsp lemon juice

pinch pepper powder(optional)

1 cup cold water or cold milk

few icecubes crushed

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Blend all the ingredients in a juicer until smooth.(Pepper powder and diced mint leaves can be added while serving)

Pour into tall glasses and serve chilled.

Health Benefits of Avocado

One cup of avocado provides 23% value of  recommended daily  allowance and  are good for pregnant women since the high folate content in them helps in the development of brain and other tissues of the baby.  The B6 vitamin in avocado may help in reducing nausea that is associated with pregnancy. Low folate levels, early in pregnancy are linked to neural tube disorders and spina bifida. 

Vitamin E in Avocado protects our skin from free radicals.
An avocado a day can help keep the neurologist away.

Avocados are high in beta-sit sterol, that lowers cholesterol levels. Mono-saturated fats in avocados helps in reducing LDL cholesterol level and are good for the heart.
Avocado are high in oleic acid, which prevent breast cancer.

avocados helps in maintaining blood sugar levels.

Avocados are an excellent source of glutathione, an important antioxidant that helps in preventing aging, cancer, and heart disease.

Avocados have more of the carotenoid lutein that protects against macular degeneration and cataracts, two disabling age-related eye diseases.
Avocados inhibit the growth of prostate cancer.

Mashing an avocado and rubbing it on your hair for five minutes after washing, will add luster to your hair; rinse hair with water afterwards.
An avocado mask made of mashed avocados, honey, and lime juice can be applied to the face as a moisturizing treatment to counteract the drying effects of the hot sun.

Kachay Keemay K Kabab

Ingredients

1.   Beef mince 1 kilo

2.   Red chillie powder 1 tsp

3.   Ginger and garlic   2 tbs

4.   Kacha papita 1 tbs (grind it with the peel)

5.   Garam masala (grinded) 1 tsp

6.   Small cardamoms 8 (ground finely)

7.   Onions (grinded) 1 tbs

8.   Green chillies  8 (cut finely chopped)

9.   Mint ¼ bundle

10. ¼ cup fresh coriander (chopped)

11. Tomato 1 (cut finely chopped)

12. Cumin seed 1 tsp

13. Turmeric as per required

14. Salt (to taste)

15. Oil (for frying)

Cooking Directions

1.   Slice the minced meat in the chopper. Then add onion, salt and green pepper, Kacha papita, green cardamom, ginger, garlic paste in it and mix all of them.

2.   Now add garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin seed, and mix them properly in the mince. Now add chopped coriander, tomato and mint in it.Knead this keeping it aside for a hour. IN a karahi heat cooking oil.On a low flame, fry the kababs shaped like small circle flat kababs with your hand. When they get golden brown.

3.   Take them out and put them on a newspaper so that the extra oil is obsorbed.Be careful not to increase the flame, as a high flame would burn the outside layer of the kabab.Whereas the inside portion would still remain raw. Decorate them with the salad leaves and chopped tomatoes to serve with ketchup or yoghurt.

      

Mutton Rogan josh

Ingredients:

1 kg mutton

5 tbsp oil

3 onions finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

1 ½ cup curd

1 ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilly powder(kashmiri chili powder mix with 3-4 tbsp water,then add)

1 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp ginger powder

2 tbsp coriander powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp Fennel seeds powder

1 tsp black pepper corns

12 cloves

4 cardamoms

5 sticks cinnamon

Few threads of mace

2 tbsp white cream

Salt

½ cup fresh tomato (paste)

4-5 Green chilies (chopped)

Chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

In a bowl, mix mutton with curd and a little salt and keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and put( whole garam masala) black pepper,cloves,cardamom,cinnamon sticks, mace. When they start to crackle, put chopped onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry again for about two minutes.

Add all the (masala powder) Kashmiri red chilly powder, garam masala powder, ginger powder, cumin powder, fennel seed powder, coriander powder, and fry till the oil comes up. Now add mutton with the marinade paste, tomato paste and stir fry on a high flame for 2 minutes. Add water and salt (to taste) and cook with the lid closed till the meat becomes tender and the gravy is medium thick in consistency. Add cream and stir well and cook for about 5 more minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander, chopped green chillies and serve with rice, pulao or roti and naan.

Mutanjan

Ingredients

Sela rice ½ kg soaked for 3 - 4 hours

Sugar ½ kg

Chicken breast (1 ½) cut into thin strips

Ghee or butter ½ cup

Khoya 250 gm

Cloves 6

Green cardamom 6

Ashrafi 1 cup chopped

Yogurt 1 tbsp

Water ½ cup

Orange marmalade 2 tbsp

Raisins ¼ cup

Almonds and pistachio sliced 4 tbsp

Coconut ¼ cup (crushed)

Red green and yellow color few drops each

Colored cham cham 1 cup

Gulab jamun ½ cup (small)

Multicolored glazed cherries ½ cup

Method

Soak sela rice for 4 hours, cook in boiling water till full done, drain rice, heat ½ cup ghee in a pan add cloves and green cardamom, add thinly sliced chicken breast, fry for 5 minutes.now add ½ kg sugar with ½ cup water, 1 tbsp yogurt, cook till thick syrup is formed and sugar dissolves, add boiled sela rice, cook for 10 minutes on high flame till syrup dries, lower flame and cook covered on low flame for 20 minutes, lastly add almonds and pistachio, khoya,coconut, Raisins,Orange marmalade,cherries, ashrafi, add few drops of red, yellow, green color, leave it on dum for 5 minutes,garnish with cham cham,gulab jamun,some more khoya, almonds and pistachio. Delicious Mutanjan is ready to serve.

Aloo ki bhujia (potato bhujia)

Ingredients

 Potatoes     6 (medium size)

 Tomatoes   2 (medium size) chopped

Onion 1(medium size) chopped

Few curry leaves

Ginger paste 1 tbsp

Garlic paste   1 tbsp

Cooking Oil    1 cup

Salt (to taste)

Crushed chilli 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Cumin seed   ½ teaspoon

Turmeric powder ½ teaspoon

Crushed mustard seed 1 tsp

Nigella seed ½ tsp

Fresh coriander ½ bunch (chopped)

Green chilli 4-5 (chopped)

Chopped mint ¼  bunch

Lemon 1

Cooking Directions

Boil, peel and cube the potatoes. Heat oil in a pan and add onions, few curry leaves and nigella seeds. Cook for 2 min then add ginger and garlic paste and add tomatoes.

Cook for 3-5 min then add potatoes, cumin seed, crushed chilli, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, coriander powder and salt. Stir fry for a minute then add lemon juice and 1 cup water.

Cook for five minutes then add in chopped coriander, mint and green chilies.Mix and remove from heat.

Serve hot with roti, naan and puris.

Mughlai mutton biryani

Mughlai food is known for its richness. It is famous for the exotic use of spices, dried fruit and nuts. A regal dish, Mughlai Biryani is fit for a king and was probably eaten by many too! This makes the perfect one-dish meal for when you have company. It combines ingredients typical to the Mughlai style of cooking.

      Ingredients:

      1/2 kg Mutton or chicken (cut into small pieces)

250 gms Rice (parboiled)

Lemon Juice 3 tbsp

10 blanched Almonds (Badam)

2 tbsp Mint Leaves

1 cups Butter

1 handful chopped Coriander Leaves  

1/2 tbsp Cumin Seed

2 large sliced Onion

Salt (to taste)

2 Brown Cardamoms (Elaichi Moti)

2 tbsp Oil

4 pods Garlic  

2 Cloves  

1 " long piece Ginger

1/2 tbsp. Saffron

1/2 tbsp. Green Chilly (Hari Mirch) chopped

1/2 tblsp Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirchi)

1/2 " Cinnamon (Dalchini)

Green whole cardamom 5

White pepper 1/4 tsp

Pinch of Ground nutmeg

Pinch of Ground mace

Bay leaves   2

Curd (Dahi) 1/2 kg

Milk 125 Gms

Water 3 cups

Wheat flour paste enough to seal pan

      Cooking Directions

 First wash and soak rice. Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Cook on medium-low heat until golden brown. Remove onions and add mutton to the pan, stirring until brown. Now grind ginger, red chillies, garlic and almonds and fry these in butter and add it to the mutton, now add salt and stir fry for 5 to 8 min. Add cloves, brown cardamoms, green cardamoms, white pepper, bay leaves, Cinnamon, cumin seed, mint leaves, chopped chillies and coriander in drained curd. Now add water and cook on low flame till meat becomes tender and about 1 cup of gravy is left. Add nutmeg and mace. Strain the saffron water and add lemon juice. Add all this to mutton. Boil rice with salt in another pan.

Sprinkle half of the boiled rice over the mutton and then spread a layer of fried onion and then of rice again. Now pour milk and some butter and cover the vessel. Seal the edges of the pan with flour paste. Place the can on flame for one hour.

Serve it very hot with some curry or curd dip.