Chapli Kebabs

Ingredients:
½ Kg. mince (double minced)
2 tomatoes chopped very fine
2 onions – finely chopped
4-5 green chillies chopped
1 tsp. freshly crushed black pepper
1½tsp. coriander powder
1 tsps. crushed chilly flakes
2 tsps. ginger paste
4-5 garlic –crushed and chopped fine
Small bunch of coriander
few mint leaves
1 tsp. dried pomegranate seeds (anardana)
Salt to taste
1 boiled potato (mashed)
½ tsp. chaat masala
1 egg

Preparation:
Mix all together with a fork. Form balls and press to form a flat cake/patty. Keep in a refrigerator for 1 hour. After one hour – shallow fry on both sides. Serve hot.
This is a very soft and succulent kebab. Best when served hot.

Garlic Ginger Beef

Weekends are a bit like rainbows;  they look good from a distance,  and when you get close to them they just dissappear.  Our weekend was the same – looked like a rainbow and then when we reached close ‘Abra-ka-dabra’  it just dissappeared in a flash.

A dear friend of hubby was celebrating his birthday and I volunteered to do Dessert (2) and Starters (7).   The party was a big hit, games galore, music, dance and good food;  though after all those Starters, nobody wanted any lunch.   Finally we were forced to have the so-called lunch at 5:30.   Great party Ron and Pam  !!!.

It is said that ”Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian;  wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; but Garlic makes it good” .   Made this “Garlic/Ginger Beef” on Saturday and it was really good. 

Recipe for you dears…………

1 kg  tender beef,  3” piece ginger, 1-1/2  pod garlic (big ones),  8 big onions,  3 tablespoons jeera,  4/5 pieces 2” cinnamon,   10 cloves,  10 cardamoms,  6-8 pepper corns,   3 tablespoons bafat powder or 3 tablespoons chilly powder,  2 cups curds,  3 bay leaves, 1 flat teaspoon mixed spice powder-to sprinkle after done, (extra cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves for frying whole – few).  

Cut and wash beef till water runs clear.  Drain on a colander so that all water drains out.  In a large non-stick vessel,  brown the beef in small batches and keep aside.  Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste.  Grind the jeera, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns and bafat powder to a fine powder. 

Cut the 8 onions into fine slices.  In the same vessel  that the beef was fried (I usually use a large, thick bottomed non-stick Tefal vessel)  and which has a residue of oil/ghee, add the bay leaves and the extra cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves and fry for a minute.  Then add the sliced onions and required salt and fry till the onions are golden (this is important).  When lightly browned, add the ginger/garlic paste and fry for sometime,  then add the powdered spice dry powder (Jeera/chilly/bafat +other spices ground abv) and stir for sometime. 

Add the beef and any juices left behind and keep frying till the meat is nicely fried and oil/ghee starts glistening.  Add curds, 1 tablespoon at a time, till all the curds in incorporated.  Add one tablespoon and stir immediately- else it may curdle. 

At this point check the seasoning and add salt.  {Optional to add 1 teaspoon of sugar at this point).   Test if the meat is cooked;  and depending on this add a little water and cook till beef is tender.  By now you should have a thickish gravy.  Garnish with the mixed spice powder and coriander leaves and fried potatoes (optional) just before serving.

Beef Special

A Happy New Year to all our readers.   May the New Year usher in happiness, good-health and peace for you and your family.  Please excuse the short break in posts as I was busy with an assortment of things.   The busy schedule still continues;    but I did  not want to leave our food-blog unattended, so here goes.   Do take a minute to leave in your comments;  it helps to keep us motivated to give you more recipes and give our best.

This is a beef recipe which I do fairly often.  You can increase the spice content if you like, but I prefer it rather mild.  Do try it and let us know how you like it.

1 kg tender beef cubes, 3” piece ginger, 1 pod garlic, 8 big onions, 3 tablespoons jeera, 4/5 pieces 2” cinnamon, 10 cloves, 10 cardamoms, 6-8 pepper corns, 3 tablespoons bafat powder or 3 tablespoons chilly powder, 2 cups curds, 3 bay leaves, 1 flat tablespoon mixed spice powder, (extra cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves for frying whole – few). Cut and wash beef till water runs clear. Drain on a colander so that all water drains out. In a large non-stick vessel, brown the beef in small batches and keep aside. Grind the ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Grind the jeera, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, peppercorns and bafat powder to a fine powder. Cut the 8 onions into fine slices. In the same vessel that the beef was fried and which has a residue of oil/ghee, add the bay leaves and the extra cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves and fry for a minute. Then add the sliced onions and required salt and fry till the onions are golden (this is important). When lightly browned, add the ginger/garlic paste and fry for sometime, then add the powdered spice dry powder and stir for sometime. Add the beef and any juices left behind and keep frying till the meat is nicely fried and oil/ghee starts glistening. Add curds, 1 tablespoon at a time, till all the curds in incorporated. At this point check the seasoning and add if anything required. Test if the meat is cooked; and depending on this add a little water and cook till beef is tender. By now you should have a thickish gravy. Garnish with the mixed spice powder and coriander leaves and fried potatoes (optional).  Serve on a bed of garlic rice.

Mexican Delight – Beef Burritos

A  Burrito is a flour Tortilla, folded and rolled to completely enclose any of several savory fillings, including shredded or chopped meat, refried beans, grated cheese, sour cream, lettuce etc. Burritos are one of the easiest Mexican recipes to make at home.

My hubs got me a packet of Tortillas the other day;  and I had some Tenderloin Beef with me, so Beef Burrito it was.   You wont believe me if I tell you how they did the vanishing trick in a jiffy….try them out and you will know what I mean……….

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Vietnamese cooking is famous for its lively, fresh flavors and artfully composed meals.  Vietnamese food and cooking is the true ‘light cuisine’ of Asia. Abundant fresh herbs and greens, delicate soups and stir-fries, and well-seasoned grilled foods served on, or with, rice or noodles are the mainstays of the Vietnamese delicacies. Even the sweets for snacks or desserts are often based on fresh fruits served with sweetened rice or tapioca.

Yours truly was recently in Vietnam and has now a few favourites.  I forced my husband to buy me two Vietnamese cookbooks and therefore brace yourself  to be bombarded with some Vietnamese dishes.  This is the 2^nd one that I’m sharing on the blog.  I also tried a ‘Vietnamese Pho’ and a ‘Tapioca Pearls Sweet’ and it was real yummy…watch out for that too.

The rice paper wrappers that I used I got from Vietnam, but they are easily available here in UAE in Asian grocery stores.

350 grms Beef (follow the recipe below or use your favourite recipe to make a dryish beef side-dish)

Small packet of rice vermicelli/noodles (boiled and drained)

Lettuce – thinly sliced

Carrots – cut into strips

Cucumber – cut into strips

Mint leaves – few

Coriander leaves – few

Basil leaves – few

Rice Paper wrappers

Slice beef into long thin strips – combine and marinate the beef with 1 clove garlic(minced), 2 small onions, minced ginger(1teaspoon), 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, ½ teaspoon stew powder and little salt to taste).  Heat a skillet. add little oil and cook the beef on the hot skillet for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then till the beef is soft and tender.  Alternately, you can cook beef using any recipe but making sure that it is nice and dry.

Dip a rice paper wrapper in a bowl of water until soft.  Remove and place on a dry surface, smoothing it with your fingers.  Arrange a few noodles on the wrapper, closer to one edge, and top with some carrots, cucumber, lettuce and the mint, basil and coriander leaves.  Arrange strips of beef.  Fold the closest edge of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up tightly.

Serve along side with dipping sauce (Peanut Dipping sauce & Vietnamese Dipping Sauce).

Peanut Dipping Sauce :

80 g (1/2 cup) roasted unsalted peanuts, 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds, 65 g sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon butter.   Grind the roasted peanuts and sesame seeds until fine in a blender, adding a little water if necessary.  Combine the peanuts, sesame seed mixture with sugar, salt and water and bring to boil over medium heat.  Cook until the mixture turns to a thick syrupy consistency, say about 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the butter.  Mix and serve.

Vietnamese Dipping Suace (Nuoc Cham)

3 cloves of garlic, minced, 2-3 green chillies,minced,  5 tablespoons lime juice, 3 tablespoons fish sauce, ¼ cup sugar, 4 tablespoons water, 1 cup grated carrot.  Grind the garlic and chillies to a smooth paste in a blender, adding a little water if required.  Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and water.  Mix well – add carrots – stir and serve.

Beef Sukka

Ingredients:
1 Kg beef cut into small pieces
5 cloves
3 sticks cinnamon
1 big onion slices
2 tomatoes
1 piece ginger chopped
4 garlic flakes chopped
5 green chillies slites
2 tbsp oil
2 tsps chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 cup fresh coconut
Finely cut coriander for garnish
Salt to taste

Method:
In a cooker heat oil add whole garam masala, then add onions fry till golden brown, add chopped ginger ,garlic, green chillies and tomatoes. Fry for 3minutes, add chilli powder and turmeric powder, then add beef and fry for 2 minutes and then add salt. Pressure cook the beef without adding water. Cook for 5 minutes, Garnish with fresh coconut and finely cut coriander.
Serve hot with rotis or dosas.