OneTribeGourmet

Spicy Beets & Carrot Curry in Coconut Milk

Sara Hafiz — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:02:15 +0000

My new year’s resolution about becoming a vegetarian started on a tempting & non-vegetarian note. You see I was vacationing in Dubai around new year’s eve and was enticed every single day with an abundance of irresistible foods from around the globe! Dubai has the most eclectic variety of ethnic restaurants, which I absolutely adored. People asked me so what did you buy in Dubai and I politely answered, ” nothing, I just ate.” Oh yes and I ate a whole a lot including non-vegetarian delights like lamb kabobs, chicken tikkas, shwarmas, nihari, haleem, byriani, kibbeh, the list goes on and on. So as you can see I could not resist the non-vegetarian specialties at all. But I was determined to start a vegetarian diet when I came back home.

Ravi Restaurant ~World Famous Pakistani Restaurant in Dubai

I went from meat, poutlry, & fish eater to a vegetarian. I had always struggled with the inhumane processes involved in the meat & fishing industries. I also learned about all of the health benefits of being a plant based diet, so it just seemed like the right choice for me.

Thanks to an abundance of scientific research that demonstrates the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet, even the federal government recommends that we consume most of our calories from grain products, vegetables and fruits. And no wonder: An estimated 70 percent of all diseases, including one-third of all cancers, are related to diet. A vegetarian diet reduces the risk for chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain types of cancer including colon, breast, prostate, stomach, lung and esophageal cancer. source: vegetariantimes.com

These days I have been experimenting with recipes which are vegetarian but are different from the norm, I guess I’m trying to think of exciting ways to eat veggies. I came up with this beets & carrot curry in coconut milk recipe for my love of beets. I don’t know about you but I love beets! I haven’t met a beet salad on a menu that I haven’t loved or eaten! I have eaten them raw, boiled, & roasted them. Of course beets are perfect in salads especially with arugula but I wanted to try them in a unique recipe that can be perfect for a main course dish. Coconut milk added another depth to the dish also made the curry more tasty & heavenly. Check out my Roasted Beet Salad Recipe.

Beets and Carrot Curry with Coconut Milk

Ingredients:

Serves: 2-3

4 red beets, boiled & cut into bite size pieces

3-4 carrots, sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 green chili, sliced

1 tsp whole cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 small 4 oz can of coconut milk

cilantro, chopped for garnish

Method:

heat olive oil and add chopped onions, saute until translucent.
add the crushed garlic and saute some more.
add cumin seeds and saute for a minute so the flavor comes out.
add cayenne, turmeric & salt, mix well.
add sliced green chili and saute.
now add the boiled and cut up pieces of beets and saute’ for 2 minutes.
add the carrots and saute for 5 minutes.
let the curry cook for another 5 minutes until carrots are tender.
add the coconut milk and let the curry simmer for few minutes.
garnish with chopped cilantro.
you can serve with rice or any flat bread.

Muhallabia – A Moroccan Style Milk Pudding Made w/Homemade Almond Milk & Rosewater – Vegan

Sara Hafiz — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:31:43 +0000

A lifetime without Love is of no account

Love is the Water of Life

Drink it down with heart and soul!

– Rumi

Here we are again, another Valentines Day is upon us. Even though I’m not a huge fan of this holiday but let’s cherish it and make sure we spend it with our loved ones. Just remember certain things in life simply have to be experienced and never explained. Love is such a thing. I wish you and yours a very Happy Valentines Day!

As I pondered over the thought of a Valentines Day post, I could not come up with anything other than a cute little heart shaped cake or a red velvet cupcake recipe. The problem with that thought was that yours truly is not a baker, therefore I always love dessert recipes which do not involve any baking what so ever.

I came up with this tasty & tempting Moroccan dessert called Muhallabia. Silky and light, this traditional pudding is a classic throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Often served at religious feasts, it can be flavored with rosewater or orange flower water.

First time I had this creamy dessert was in Fes, Morocco at a enchanting guest house called Dar Roumana. Our beautiful host Jennifer Smith treated us to an ultimate Moroccan feast. Jennifer’s grand finale to our marvelous culinary experience that night was a Muhallabia, and I was in love from that moment on.

Traditionally Muhallabia is made with whole milk and sweetened with superfine sugar. I wanted to make this dessert more healthy and vegan, so I chose to make my Muhallabia with Homemade Almond Milk. Almond milk is very easy to make at home, you can certainly use the store bought ones but I choose to use homemade version. Basically take one and half cup of blanched almonds and two and a half cups of water, Pulverize them in a heavy duty blender for few minutes, drain the almond milk into a fine sieve.

Recipe Adapted from Ghillie Basan’s Flavors of Morocco

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup rice flour

4 cups of almond milk

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

2 teaspoons rosewater

chopped pistachios for garnish

METHOD:

1. In a small bowl, mix the rice flour with a little bit of the almond milk to form a loose paste.

2. Pour the rest of the almond milk into a heavy base saucepan and stir in the sugar. Bring the milk to a boiling point, stirring all the time, until sugar has dissolved.

3. Reduce the heat and stir a spoonful or two of the hot almond milk into the rice flour paste, then tip the mixture into the pan, stirring all of the time to prevent the rice flour from forming lumps.

4. Bring the almond milk back to a boil and stir in the rosewater.

5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 2-25 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture becomes quite thick and coats the back of the spoon.

6. Pour the mixture into serving bowls and leave to cool. Chill in the refrigerator and just before serving garnish with chopped pistachios.

Ma’amouls – A Celebration Cookie

Sara Hafiz — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:29:41 +0000

Food is our common ground, a universal experience – James Beard

Sometimes “Life” does get in the way. As I sit and attempt to write my first blog post in ten months, I realize how much I have missed my blog and my readers. It feels so good to be back in the food blogging world, I have missed you all dearly.

I thought about which recipe to post after such a long time, so I came up with ma’amouls. Ma’amouls happen to be one of my all time favorite cookie, especially with a hot cup of sweet mint tea! I call ma’amouls an Arabic celebration cookie which is loved by Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike. Since my blog is based on food plus cultures equals love, tolerance & humanity. I thought ma’amouls were a perfect start to my ten months hiatus.

The definition of the the Arabic word ma’moul is “filled.” It is a small rounded pastry made with decorative wooden hand carved molds called tabe’; pictured above. The nut filling is inserted into a hollow shell in the pastry and then closed. The filled pastry is then placed inside the mold. I learned this great art of filling the ma’amouls from a wonderful blog called Tony Tahhan. Tony demonstrates beautifully how to mold the cookies in the tabe’. I found Tony’s instructions and pictures extremely helpful while making my batch of these delicious Ma’amouls.

When the ma’amouls are baked, the embossed design becomes more prominent and very beautiful. I followed Tony’s recipe step by step and found it surprisingly very easy to follow. I have to admit I was a little shy about baking ma’amouls, but I was determined to shape them properly in the molds. I was able to find these gorgeous wooden ma’amoul molds at my local Syrian grocers along with all of the ingredients including mahlab. Mahlab is an aromatic spice made from seeds of a St.Lucie Cherry. The cherry stones are then cracked to extract the seed kernel and then ground to a powder consistency. The flavor is similar to bitter almond & cherry. If you cannot find these decorative molds you can certaily mold the cookies by hand into a ball and then decorate them using a fork to create a design. I hope you will try making these delicious cookies on your festive holiday. I would like to thank Tony Tahan for this beautiful recipe. I love your blog, Tony!

♥

Ma’amouls ~ A Celebration Cookie ~ filled with Dates & Walnuts

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup farina (cream of wheat)*
1/2 cup fine semolina
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 stick + 1 tbsp butter, melted
1/2-3/4 cup of milk, hot
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp + 2 tsp orange blossom water
1 tbsp mahlab, ground
1/2 tsp baking powder
powdered sugar, for garnish

Method

Mix 1 stick of the melted butter in with the farina and semolina and knead until well mixed. Cover and let sit over night.
To make the filling process the pitted dates & walnuts with the remaining tbsp of melted butter, 2 tsp of orange blossom water, and half of the ground mahlab in your food processor until it becomes a smooth paste.
Once the butter has soaked into the semolina add the remaining of the ingredients, except the hot milk.
Pour half cup of the hot milk and mix well to form a dough. The dough should be smooth and moist; if it feels a bit dry continue adding more milk.
Form each cookie with a mold or freehand as shown in the photo above (by hiding a ball of the date filling inside the dough).
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
Cool the cookies on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with powdered sugar for garnish.

Kashke Bademjan~ A Persian Eggplant Spread

Sara Hafiz — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 22:48:34 +0000

Persian cuisine is intertwined with Persian culture and deserves to be explored. Persian cuisine is as old as Persian history and has served the important role of bringing friends and rivals closer over the years. In the old days, Iranian families gathered around a sofreh which was a table cloth or spread on the floor over a Persian carpet or kilim. The sofreh was and still is the corner stone of Persian cuisine and a place of gathering, laughter, relaxation, and enjoyment.

I’m a huge fan of Persian Cuisine and often visit my friends Shayma’s & Bria’s Blogs for delectable Persian recipes!

My version of this eggplant dip inspired by a famous Persian spread called Kashke Bademjan. Don’t let the name intimidate you, this dip is really easy to make. Roasted eggplants are mashed up and added to the caremalized onions, which are sauteed with garlic, dried mint, saffron, some lemon juice, turmeric & salt/pepper to taste. Finally garnished with Kashk, chopped walnuts, & caramelized onions. Kashk is a fermented by product from cheese-making, Kashk has a strong flavor, like a liquid fetta cheese and is used extensively in Persian cuisine. I found Kashk at my local Middle Eastern market, it comes in a dried form which I just added some water to make a paste. {Please Note} Sour Cream makes a good substitute for the Kashk. Serve warm with Lavash or Pita Bread.

Lavash Bread is a very flat, wide bread, much lighter in color and different in taste. This bread is very thin usually and tastes great with Feta cheese in a dish like Naan-o Panir.

I recently made this silky & creamy eggplant dip for a Super Bowl & Oscars party and guess what it was a hit! Try it and you will love it too!

KASHKE BADEMJAN~ A PERSIAN EGGPLANT SPREAD
RECIPE ADAPTED FROM FOOD OF LIFE: ANCIENT PERSIAN & MODERN IRANIAN COOKING

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup or less, extra virgin olive oil
2 large eggplants, roasted & mashed
1 large onion, sliced thin
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried mint leaves
1 tablespoon Kashk
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons of hot water
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
garnish with chopped walnuts, caramelized onions & fresh chopped mint

METHOD:

Roast Eggplant coated with olive oil in a 400 degree oven until the skin is charred and the eggplant releases liquid. Take the roasted eggplant out of the oven, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a heavy bottom pan and add olive oil to it. Now add the sliced onions and caramelize the onion on a medium heat. Heat should not be very high, otherwise onions will burn instead of caramelizing.
Spoon out the onions onto paper towels leaving the oil behind in the pan.
Now add garlic & mint and saute for 2 minutes.
Now add to the same pan the roasted eggplant mixture{mashed}, caramelized onions {save some for garnish}, saffron liquid, lemon juice, turmeric powder & salt/pepper. Saute for few more minutes.
For the Kashk, add 3 tablspoons water to 1 tablespoon Kashk powder. OR use sour cream diluted with some milk.
Serve the dip on a plate, first spoon the Kashk mixture, then garnish the dip with caramelized onions, toasted chopped walnuts, & chopped fresh mint.
Serve this delicious Persian Dip warm with Lavash or Pita Breads.

Patatas Bravas ~ A Spanish Tapa

Sara Hafiz — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:01:23 +0000

I would like to thank one of my dearest friends Laviza for this wonderful guest post! Her recipe for Patatas Bravas is fabulous! Please check out her facebook like Page, Eclectic Gourmet for more mouthwatering recipes!

♥

So, my son comes home from school and announces that he needs me to make a Spanish dish to feed 30 kids for Spanish class the next day. Ok….well, thanks for the advance notice! Meanwhile, I am a bit stressed, in the midst of cooking for my catering orders and preparing dinner for our family. I ask him if we can pick up something from the store (like all the other kids!). My son has already told the teacher that “my mom is a great cook”. He says he will get extra points for bringing in a homemade dish. He is begging. The pressure is on….

A cursory Google search for “easy Spanish recipes” is just too overwhelming.

A stat consult with OneTribeGourmet is in order! She texts me back within a few minutes - “patatas bravas, kids will all love it!” Ok, cool. Yet another Google search, and I discover that it is commonly served as a tapa in bars; sort of like a Spanish version of french fries. There are numerous recipes for patatas bravas with various methods for preparing the dish.

I get the idea of how to make the patatas, and based on the ingredients I had on hand and with my own touch, this is what I came up with. Most of the recipes do not call for the potatoes to be seasoned before they are sauteed, but I like “flava”, so I seasoned them. I was pleasantly surprised at the way the Patatas bravas came out. I definitely prefer the pan sauteed version over the baked version. The patatas must be served and eaten immediately. They did get a little limp and soggy the next day, but I was not about to fry potatoes at 6 am for my son to get a few extra points!

Thank you again, OneTribeGourmet, for a great suggestion!

RECIPE FOR PATATAS BRAVAS ~ A SPANISH TAPA

recipe adapted from Barcelona Reporter

INGREDIENTS:

(for approximately 6 tapas portions)

1½ kg of peeled potatoes
Olive oil to fry the potatoes in

For the bravas sauce:
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove of garlic also finely chopped
6 ripe tomatoes chopped – about 600g
1 teaspoon of sugar (optional)
3 dried chillis
1 or 2 teaspoon of hot paprika – depends on how spicy you like your food
1 level soup spoon of plain flour
approx. 200ml of water
1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar or wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Peel the potatoes, chop them into smallish chunks and boil them for about 5-10 minutes in salt water. Then leave them to cool.

For the bravas sauce fry the onion, garlic and the dried chillis gently in some olive oil until the onions turn transparent – this should take about 10 minutes. Then remove from the heat, add the paprika and stir this in. Add the chopped tomatoes and the sugar, return the mix to the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. The sugar is added to take any bitterness out of the tomatoes – this is optional as you may find it too sweet with the sugar.

Mix the flour with some water and then stir this into the sauce, add the 200 ml of water and leave to simmer for about 15 minutes to reduce the sauce.

Now you should blend the mix either in a food blender or using a hand held blender. Once you’ve done this pass the mix through a sieve to remove the tomato skin and seeds.

You should then end up with a nice thick bravas sauce.

You may want to cut your potatoes a bit smaller into bite sized chunks if you left them a bit big when boiling. You can either deep fry them as I do or shallow fry them until they turn a lovely golden colour.
Serve them on a couple of plates with plenty of the bravas sauce on them. The sauce is probably better hot but it can also be served cold.

Notes on my method:

~ I used medium, white potatoes, and boiled them with their skins on, until they were about 3/4 done.

I let them cool off, then peeled them (which was a pain). I didn’t do a great job of scraping all the skin off, so some skin

was still on – which actually turned out to be a good thing, as it gave a nice crispy taste to the patatas.

So I would say, it’s OK to leave some skin on.

~ After the potatoes were peeled, I cut them into 1 1/2 inch chunks, and seasoned them with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper,

paprika and cayenne. I was debating on whether to bake them or pan fry them, so I split the potatoes into 2 batches

to test each method. I baked half at 400 degrees, and pan fried the other half in some olive oil.

The pan fried method was definitely tastier – much crispier and better “crust”.

~For the bravas sauce – I used half yellow onion and half red onion, and I used 4 cloves of garlic. I did not have fresh tomatoes on hand, so I used a 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Since the canned tomatoes seemed to have a good amount of liquid, I did not add the water to the sauce. As I didn’t have spicy paprika, I used regular paprika and some cayenne pepper.

I did not use the dried chilis (thought it would get too spicy for the kids), nor did I add the flour to the sauce.

I used my immersion blender to blend 90 % of the sauce, but left some unblended to give a little chunkiness to the sauce.

Nutella & Coconut Milk Panna Cotta topped w/ Crunchy Toasted Coconut Brittle {Happy Valentines Day}

Sara Hafiz — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:54:51 +0000

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of this holiday but I do end up celebrating it. I don’t need a holiday to tell me when to tell my loved ones that I love them. Anyhow, I must admit it is fun to go out for dinner and receive gifts from hubby and the kids. I wish all you all a wonderful Valentines Day! I love all of my readers and thank you so much for giving me so much love! xoxo

{Frank Sinatra}

I’ve got you under my skin

I’ve got you deep in the heart of me

So deep in my heart, that you are really a part of me

I’ve got you under my skin

Since we are talking about love, here’s a trailer for one of my favorite romantic movies of all time, Serendipity!

Check it out!

Norah Jones~ Don’t know why

My adorable niece, Serina

Okay so this Nutella & Coconut milk recipe was inspired by my love for Nutella! I wanted to make a decadent yet easy to make dessert which the entire family would love. This dessert comes together quite quickly, you do however need to cool the panna cotta in the fridge for about 4 to 6 hours. I also made a toasted coconut brittle topping for the panna cotta, which is a pleasant crunchy & tasty garnish! Coconut milk gives the dessert a unique creamy tropical taste.

NUTELLA & COCONUT MILK PANNA COTTA WITH A TOASTED COCONUT BRITTLE

recipe adapted & inspired by New York Times

Yield: 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/8 teaspoon powdered gelatin

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup Nutella

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup coconut milk

toasted shredded coconut

INGREDIENTS FOR TOASTED COCONUT BRITTLE

1 cup Sugar in the Raw Turbinado Sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup toasted shredded coconut

METHOD:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk gelatin with 3 tablespoons cold water. Place chopped chocolate in another medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine Nutella and salt.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil. Pour half the cream over gelatin mixture and whisk gently to combine; stir in vanilla. Pour remaining cream over chopped chocolate; whisk until smooth. Combine two mixtures; whisk well.

3. Pour one-third of the gelatin-chocolate mixture over Nutella; beat using an electric mixer on low speed until a smooth paste forms. Pour in remaining mixture and coconut milk; beat until fully combined.

4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into six ramekins. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until set, about six hours or overnight. Serve with toasted shredded coconut, if desired.

METHOD FOR THE BRITTLE:

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan, on medium high heat add the sugar and water.

2. let it cook until caramel forms. Caramel should have a medium dark golden caramel color.

3. Toast the shredded coconut in a frying pan on a medium high heat for 2 minutes.

4. Spread the caramel with a teaspoon on a cookie sheet over parchment paper.

5. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top and let it cool.

Blood Orange & Clementine Salad Garnished w/ Caramelized Pistachios

Sara Hafiz — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 02:51:11 +0000

Oranges are in season and oh my what a variety to choose from the market! I love clemetines, which are such a pleasure to eat, easy to peel and great snack on the go! My kids go through an entire box within few days. I also am intrigued by the blood oranges! Man o man, these oranges with a scary name is so juicy and delicious. I made this quick salad with clementines & blood oranges, I gave this salad an extra taste with a splash of orange blossom water and garnish the salad with caramelized pistachios….Simple but oh so good!

Blood oranges are juicy, sweet and have a dark red interior and are slightly less acidic than regular table oranges.Originally from Sicily the blood orange has gained in popularity in the US and can be found fresh or in juice form in many grocery stores

I was curious about the Blood Oranges and wondered how they get that ruby red color? What I found was that blood oranges are not artificial or anything like that. They exist in nature in many varieties. Blood oranges have this unique color because they carry anthocyanins, which are powerful flavonoid pigments that exist in red and purple fruits and vegetables that can protect the human body from many diseases and are very beneficial to human health. Anthocyanins are uncommon in citrus fruits, with the blood orange being one of the exceptions.

So there you have it, not only these oranges taste good but are exta good for your health! I think we should have a new saying,” A Bood Orange a day keeps the doctor away”

BLOOD ORANGE & CLEMENTINE SALAD GARNISHED WITH CARAMELIZED PISTACHIOS

INGREDIENTS:

2 Blood Oranges, peeled and cut
4 Clementines, peeled & cut
1/4 Cup Pistachios
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water {optional}

METHOD:

Caramelize the pistachios by adding sugar in a pan and let the sugar turn a golden light brown.
Add Pistachios, let them toast in the caramel for few minutes. Take them out and let them cool
Arrange the blood orange & clementine rounds on a plate or a platter.
Splash the orange blossom water on the oranges.
Garnish the salad with the caramelized pistachios.
Enjoy!

Spicy Bengali Fish Curry

Sara Hafiz — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:13:51 +0000

My friend Lani has been generous agian for teaching me such a flavorful & tasty Bengali fish curry. I found this recipe to be very simple to make yet the results are mouthwatering! Below is her version of the recipe and its origin. Thank you Lani for your contribution!

As much as Bengalis, originally from West Bengal, India or Bangladesh, love their meat dishes and kababs, they are most well-known for their love of fish. The endless variety of fish and prawns caught from the mighty rivers of that region provide a staple food for the population. The love of this healthy protein is carried in the hearts of Bengalis wherever they live around the world. Even my own parents take their fish very seriously! When living in New Jersey, I remember my dad, every spring season, would drive miles and miles to meet up with an old fisherman who caught American Shad, which is as close to the famous Bangladeshi “Hilsa or Ilish” as he could get. He would buy at least 40 large fish and freeze them and of course share it with those who shared the same passion!

Above are some of the pictures taken by Lani’s husband Dr. Siddique on there recent trip to Bangladesh

The recipe below is as simple as a true fish curry can get. My parents taught me to add potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, mustard seed paste and even lentil dumplings (bori) to their fish dishes, but I’ve provided the basic recipe that can be embellished as you wish. The credit for this recipe and learning proper preparation of fish goes to my sister-in-law, Tania, who taught me to wash the fish thoroughly and use lots of onions and oil. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of oil, as it is needed to properly sauté the onions and create a nice gravy. The oil can be skimmed off later. Fish steaks are preferable to use, just watch out for the bones!

This recipe will transport you to green, peaceful, rural Bengal.

SPICY BENGALI FISH CURRY

RECIPE COURTESY OF LANI SIDDIQUE

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 lbs of fish cut into 1 ¼ inch steaks, or filets cut into 2inx3in pieces (the fish can be tilapia, catfish, bass, shad, carp, sea bream , fresh or frozen. Thaw out fish before cooking)
3 medium or 2 large onions, sliced very thin
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
2 heaping tsp turmeric powder, divided
2 level tsp cumin powder
Salt
4 green chiles, (ie Thai bird or Serrano)
¼ tsp red chile powder (optional)
2-3 cups boiling or hot water
Cilantro stems and leaves, handful
Lime Wedges

METHOD:

Thoroughly wash the fish in cold water. There should be no smell to the fish. Drain and place the fish in a large bowl and sprinkle with a 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp of the turmeric. Shake the bowl around so that all pieces of the fish are coated with the turmeric. Handling the turmeric will stain your nails so try not to touch, or just use gloves or a large spoon. Let the fish sit while you start the sauce/gravy.

Heat the oil on medium high, in a 12 inch diameter, deep sauté pan (preferably with two handles).Put in the onions and sauté, stirring onions around frequently.
When onions are all golden brown, add in the whole chiles. If you want chile heat, then make a slit into one or two of them. When the chiles turn a bright green and are a little blistered, about 1 minute, add the turmeric, 1.5 tsp salt, cumin and chile powder if using. Stir for about 20 seconds. The onions should all be browned by now. Stir in the water, a bit at a time, maintaining a simmer. The sauce or gravy is being created by adding the water slowly. Add 2 cups at first, more can be added later if desired. Some people prefer thick gravies some prefer thinner.
Add in fish, making sure they are partially submerged in the sauce. The sauce can be spooned over the fish and more water added if necessary. Cover with a lid and maintain a steady strong simmer on medium high heat. After 5 minutes, carefully take potholders, grasp the handles and lid (with the lid still on), and swirl the pan around. You will feel the fish loosen from the bottom, without breaking them. Do this again after 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium if the fish is sticking to the bottom too much. Only sturdy fish like catfish can be stirred or flipped with a spatula.
When most of the oil has risen to the top, another ten or fifteen minutes, depending on what kind of fish, turn off the heat. Skim off oil if you’d like and sprinkle with cilantro. It doesn’t hurt to eat with a squeeze of lime!
Total cooking time is about 30-35 minutes. Catfish may take longer.
Serves 6-8
Enjoy with a plain white rice such as Jasmine, Basmati or any long grain rice. Side dishes can include a simple dal and stir-fried vegetables. If vegetables are added along with the fish, then it could be a one-pot meal served over rice. If adding vegetables, increase the amount of salt and spices to taste.

Homemade Paneer Grilled Kabobs in Moroccan Chermoula Sauce served with Homemade Naan

Sara Hafiz — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 05:05:48 +0000

Homemade Paneer Grilled Kabobs in Spicy & Tangy Moroccan Chermoula Sauce served with Easy and Quick Homemade Naan

We have started a tradition in our family that we will celebrate the start of a new week with a grand Meatless Mondays feast. Everyone in my household usually has the Mondays Blues. Since I can’t change the fact that we all have to face the dreaded Monday, I can however change how we eat on a Monday!

It’s a challenge for me to think of vegetarian recipes which my family of 3 males who are carnivores, will get excited over. It’s tough but I am up for the challenge. Trust me you will feel liberated that your main ingredient of the dish is not any type of meat protein, instead the star of the dish is a vegetable, lentils or beans or tasty cheeses & pastas.

My kids love kabobs, especially the grilled beef , chicken & shrimp shish kabobs. So I started thinking about our upcoming Meatless Mondays feast and wanted to surprise my kids and hubby with a shish kabob dinner which was healthy & hearty yet was as delicious as the {meat version}. I came up with this paneer kabob recipe which I wanted to give a lot of flavor & spice with the spicy & flavorful Moroccan Chermoula sauce. My kids were familiar with the flavors of Chermoula sauce which they were introduced to on our last trip to Morocco.

Chermoula is a pungent Moroccan herb sauce traditionally served with grilled fish. I think it’s great with all sorts of other dishes, such as roasted eggplant, roasted potatoes, swordfish or chicken. Chermoula sauce is equally good in a couscous dish too. I made my Chermoula sauce in my favorite mortar & pestle.

We usually enjoy Kebobs with flatbreads like Naan, Pita or Turkish Pide. I heart flatbreads and love making them at home. There is something nurturing about making your own bread and serving it hot to your family!

I started thinking about making Naan with our kabob dinner. I usually make my Naan with a yeast dough which needs to rise for at least 3-4 hours, then I roll out the Naan and then let it sit for another thirty minutes before I broil or bake them in the oven. By the way check out my two friends Nadia & Prerna’s awesome homemade naan recipes and there posts motivated me!

My Easy & Quick Homemade Naan recipe ONLY has six ingredients; flour, milk, olive oil, sugar, salt & baking powder. I also brush the Naan with melted butter & sprinkle on sesame seeds right before I put them under the broiler.

Basically I knead the dough for ten minutes, cover and let it rest for about one hour max in a warm spot in the kitchen. After one hour you are ready to roll out the Naan and enjoy them hot. I make the Naan under the broiler set on high and it only takes about 2 -3 minutes for Naan to be ready.

Paneer is a fresh cheese made by souring hot milk with a little lemon juice and then pressing out the liquid until it becomes a firm mass. The process is simple and quick. I usually drain the the whey in cheesecloth which I place inside a colander. When paneer is pressed under a heavy weight for an hour or two, it firms up and becomes condensed and is easy to cut into cubes for numerous recipes like Spinach recipe called Palak Paneer or Tandoori Paneer Tikka. I love serving Tandoori Paneer Tikka for appetizers when I throw a dinner party.

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE PANEER KABOBS IN SPICY & TANGY MOROCCAN CHERMOULA SAUCE SERVED WITH QUICK & EASY HOMEMADE NAAN

Ingredients for Paneer Kabobs in Moroccan Chermoula Sauce:

Homemade Paneer:

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole milk
6-8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method for Homemade Paneer:

Place a colander lined with cheesecloth over a large bowl.
In a large heavy non stick pot, boil the milk on a medium heat.
Add the lemon juice. Curd with start to form.
Drain the curd mixture in the colander/cheesecloth
Rinse the curd briefly under slow-running water to remove the lemon taste.
Gather the edges together, squeeze the excess water, then knot together the cheesecloth and let it sit in the colander . Let it sit for 20 minutes.
To make the cheese dense for cutting into cubes; place a heavy object over the paneer for about an hour.
Cut into bite size one inch square pieces for Kabobs.

Moroccan Chermoula Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1-2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds, crushed or ground
1 fresh red chile, seeded & crushed
1 freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, some extra for grilling
a small bunch of cilantro, crushed or chopped

Method:

Crush all of the ingredients in a mortar & pestle or a food processor.
You can make extra and store in air tight jar in the fridge for few weeks.

Method for marinating & grilling the kabobs:

Take the Paneer cubes and add the Chermoula Sauce. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Place the Paneer cubes on skewers and grape tomatoes, alternate paneer & tomatoes or any vegetable of your choice.
Heat a grill pan on medium and coat it with olive oil.
Grill the Paneer Kabobs for a minute on each side.
Brush on some extra Chermoula Sauce over the Kebobs and cover to keep warm.

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE NAAN

makes 6-8

Ingredients:

3 cups of Organic Bread Flour
1 cup of warm milk {extra if needed}
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons melted butter
2 teaspoons sesame seeds, white & black

Method:

Sift the flour and add the dry ingredients and mix
add the oil and milk, knead for 10 minutes. add more milk to the dough if you feel its dry.
cover and let the dough sit in a warm place in your kitchen for one hour.
Turn the broiler on High and place a metal cookie sheet tray coated with oil under the broiler {not too close to the burners}
Once the dough is rested for one hour, cut it up in 6-8 equal parts
Roll out the dough into Naan shapes of round or ovals.
Pierce marks with a knife or fork, all over the Naan.
Melt the butter for 30 seconds in the microwave and brush it over the Naan.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds. I used white & black sesame seeds {optional}
Bake under the broiler only on one side for 2 minutes or so {until light golden brown}
Serve Hot! Enjoy!

Apple & Endive Salad with Dates, Pomegranate, Sumac, & Honey Walnut Labneh

Sara Hafiz — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:12:36 +0000

This salad was inspired by my recent visit to an ancient town in Turkey called Kusadasi! A gorgeous seaside resort on the Aegean Sea located near the historical city of Ephesus. Rich fields of olive trees, grape vines, fig, peach, apricot & apple trees surround this scenic city.

Cuisine of Kusadasi is very much influenced by nearby Greek Island of Samos which is only an hour & thirty minutes ferry ride away. Every day we were treated to a lavish breakfast, lunch & dinner with a bounty of fresh fruits, Greek & Turkish yogurts with sweet honey, dried fruits and nuts. This salad is an homage to the enchanting city of Kusadasi, Turkey!

Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selcuk Izmir Province, Turkey.

Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15% has been excavated. The ruins that are visible give some idea of the city’s original splendor, and the names associated with the ruins are evocative of its former life. The theater dominates the view down Harbor Street.

The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The temple was destroyed in 401 AD. Emperor Constantine rebuilt much of the city and erected new public baths. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614 AD. The city’s importance was that it was a commercial center by the harbor on the Aegean Sea.

Today’s archaeological site lies 5 miles southwest of the town of Selcuk and nearby harbor city of Kusadasi.

Kusadasi is a resort town on Turkey’s Aegean coastand the center of the seaside district. Kusadasi caters to tourists, arriving by land, and as the port for cruise ships passengers heading to Ephesus.

Kusadasi has many beautiful public & private beaches. We stayed at Kismet Hotel, which is located on a peninsula that protrudes into the Aegean Sea. Our room over looked a private beach with a gorgeous view from our balcony. By the way Dr. Oz stayed at the same hotel and we took a picture of his photo displayed proudly at the hotel lobby!

APPLE & ENDIVE SALAD WITH DATES, POMEGRANATE, SUMAC AND HONEY WALNUT LABNEH

recipe inspired by Ana Sortun's book, Spice:Flavors of the Eastern Mediteranean

Serves 4

{Recipe for Homemade Labneh ~ A Yogurt Cheese}~ infused with Honey & Orange Blossom Water and Walnuts:

17.5 ounce fage all natural greek yogurt, strained overnight (you can also use any plain full fat yogurt}
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water {you may use 1/2 tsp vanilla instead of orange blossom water}
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, finely chopped

You will need to strain & refrigerate the Greek yogurt overnight in a cheese cloth rolled up in a ball with a knot and hang it up or place it in a strainer with a bowl underneath. Before placing the yogurt in the fridge try to squeeze as much of the water out as you can.{Please Note} You can certainly skip this step and buy Labneh ready made from a specialty shop! I have seen Labneh at Middle Eastern grocers.
Next day before serving the salad, In a bowl add Labneh, honey, orange blossom water & finely chopped walnuts and mix well until all of the ingredients are infused well. Refrigerate again until you are ready to assemble the salad.
{PLEASE NOTE} You can spread this delicious Labneh on a Bagel {makes a healthy & tasty substitute to cream cheese}, also tasty on crusty bread or crackers! Makes a healthy snack!
Most of the ingredients can be found in a supermarket. Turkish, Middle Eastern or Greek Markets. Also Williams Sonoma carries Sumac.

Apple and Endive Salad with Dates, Pomegranates, & Walnuts sprinkled w/ Sumac:

3 honey crisp variety of apples, cored, unpeeled, julienned (or any sweet apple of your choice}
4 medjool dates, pitted & sliced
4 tablespoons Pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice,reserve some extra if needed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 or less teaspoon sumac, only for sprinkling on top
4-5 smaller size endives, chopped & some leaves for presentation

In a bowl add julienned apples and coat them with lemon juice to prevent the apples from oxidizing.
Add the 3 chopped endives, dates, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint, chopped walnuts. Mix the honey, 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice & olive oil in a separate small bowl, whisk well and then add to the salad. Toss the salad well. {at this point you can add some more lemon juice if you feel the salad needs more citrus flavor}
Plate the salad with 2 tablespoons of Labneh spread into a round disk like shape.
Enjoy!