Gilafi Kebab

Onam is over , but the festive season is not over yet. Eid al Adha is on its way. From the delicious vegetable varities to the world of meaty favourites:) ! That's the difference between the cultures and festivals. Each festival has its own way of celebrating from food to lighting crackers to designing flower carpets to prayers etc. 

This dish is a spicy minced meat covered with a layer of onion, capsicum and tomatoes. This layer is called Gilaf and hence the name. This is a deliciously favorite dish which could be accompanied with rotis or rice.This kebab can either be grilled or shallow fried in medium-high flame. 

Ingredients:(makes 6-7 pieces)

Courtesy: Shireen Anwar 

Mince meat/Kheema (chicken,mutton or beef) 1/2 kg
Ginger garlic paste   1 tbsp
1 slice of bread (dip in water and squeeze water out)
Salt  1 tsp
Red chilli powder  1 tsp
Garam masala powder  1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Ground almonds/ cashews 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves 2 tbsp, chopped
Green chilli 3-4chopped
Fresh cream/cream cheese  2 tbsp
Oil, for frying

Gilaaf/outer covering:
 Onion 1/2 cup, chopped
 Capsicum 1/2 cup, chopped
 Tomatoes 1/2 cup, chopped

Method:

1.Squeeze out excess water from the mince meat and grind them again if it's a shop bought one. We need more fine than we get from the supermarkets.

2.Mix the meat with all other ingredients including bread,cream etc. Keep aside for 2 hours.

3.Mix together onions, tomatoes and capsicum for the gilaf in a separate plate.

4.Devide the mixture into 6-7 balls and shape them like kebabs; either lengthy, round or any shape u like. Then roll these kebabas on the gilaaf mix and make sure these are stuck to the kebabs properly.

5.You can either use skewers. This is completely optional. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 10minutes.

6.Shallow fry in grill pans on medium-high heat till golden brown. You can either cover in an aluminium foil and grill in oven at 250C for 15-20 minutes. Brush oil on kebabs before grilling.

Serve hot with green chutney.

Koottu Curry with Snake Gourd,Beans etc.

As you all know, Onam (Kerala festival) is approaching and almost all houses are getting ready to celebrate in their own style. Wearing new dresses, decorating Pookkalam(flower carpets), preparing Sadya, watching movies etc. are the ways in which we celebrate Onam.

OnaSadya (veg.feast) is one such speciality which can't be avoided during this festival. This grand feast is traditionally served in Banana leaves with Rice as the main ingredient. The vegetable side dishes may vary from four to 20 or more . Sambar and parippu ,thoran, olan, pulissery ,rasam etc. are a few among those dishes alongwith pappadam and pickle. No feast is complete without dessert and hence the payasam is served. Ada Pradaman,Paal payasam, paalada, ... the list goes on. It takes lots of efforts in grinding coconuts, chopping vegetables separately for each dishes and not to mix n match recipes.   Here, in middle-east,certain organisations and restaurants conduct Onam celebrations and we get to savour Sadya without much a do.

Koottucurry is a spicy dish among these which is prepared using Black Chick peas(Kaala Chana), raw plaintains and yam. This recipe is slightly twisted one using snake gourd and beans and tastes awesome!! I did take a printout of this recipe long ago ,some 10-12yrs back and I really don't remember the source of the recipe. Since then , I use to make this so often and is a hit recipe among our family.

Ingredients:

-Black Chick Peas/Bengal gram 1/2 cup

-Snake gourd,Long runner beans,pumpkin,yam,vellari- Altogether 1/2 kg. (You can either omit 1 or 2 among these)
Innerflesh of drumstick-1/2 cup

Coconut 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder 1/4tsp
Green chillies 3
Salt to taste

Cumin

Tempering:

Ghee 2 tsp
Coconut oil 1/4 cup

Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal/white gram dal 2 tsp

Curryleaves 2 sprigs

Dried Red Chilly 3
Coconut 1/4 cup

Method:

1.Cook bengal gram with salt and water to a tihck gravy.

2. Clean and cut the vegetables into small pieces. Par boil the vegetables .

3.Grind 1/2 cup grated coconut and mix it with turmeric powder and green chillies.

4.Heat oil and season mustard, urad dal, dried red chillies and curry leaves.

5. Add the ground coconut mixture. Saute for sometime till the water dries up.

6.Add the cooked vegetables, salt and bengal gram dal.

7.Saute well. Heat 1 tsp ghee and fry the 1/4 cup grated coconut in it till golden brown.

8. Add this to the koottu curry and mix well.

Linking this toFoodabulous fest hosted by Rafeeda originally hosted by Simply Tadka

Announcement: Back 2 School Event

Now it's time for the kids to pack their bags, sit tight and get ready for their school reopening in the middle-east and some other countries too. This time usually is an exciting time of the year when kids wait for the school to reopen as they start getting bored of their long vacation and eager to meet friends. Some of them turn nervous too. Not only kids ,but also Moms feel the same, wondering how to wake herself or the kids up early morning. Some shed tears as their kids are all grown up now.

Planning some events- parties or day out or shopping- helps to relax and free the stress out. A joint effort of parents alongwith kids is essential here. Starting an event is a humble attempt from my side to make this time a little interesting for all those parents and their kids , who step into another phase of their life.

Parents should plan for a proper breakfast for the kids to carry as it is the most important meal of the day which helps kids to remain active whole day. So this is the best place/event to share your ideas with other parents as well who keeps on searching for healthier and innovative recipes to surprise their kids.

Rules for the event:

1. Any food which could be packed for kids' school.

2. Veg and Non-veg is allowed.

3. Link back to this page and usage of logo is much appreciated.

4.Any number of entries are acceptable.

5.Archive entries of 3 posts is allowed when reposted with the event page linked.

6. Link in your entries using linky tool.

7. If you have any problem wih the linky tool, send in your entries to hasjab@gmail.com

8. Non-bloggers can also send me entries alongwith pictures of their attempt and recipes .

9. Event closes by October 5.

SOYA MUSHROOM BURGER- Happy Teachers Day!!

Just now read somehwhere "Teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions!" How true! We seldom realize such simple things in life unless told by someone.  I like all my teachers except two ,whom I really hate.(there's a genuine reason).As a child, I was very shy to express my respect or love towards them. So today I wanted to take this oppurtunity to share about some of my favourite teachers who left their impact on me.

Qamarunnisa Ma'm who taught me in Grade 2 from Al Noor School,Auh was my first favourite among teachers. She was so caring and knew to deal with small kids really well. I always got motherly affection from her and was surprised when she could recognize me after 8 years. The other favourites were Jayasree Ma'm, Sangeetha Ma'm, Hari sir, Lissy Ma'm, Sheena Ma'm etc. etc. and the list goes on. I wanted to thank all my teachers from the bottom of my heart. I wouldn't have achieved first rank in 12th without them and I really mean it. I was so careless in my studies; but the teachers' trust in me overpowered everything and I had to prove myself.

Coming over to the recipe, a wonderful , melt in mouth and healthy recipe which you can make ahead and freeze for your kids' school. You can avoid mushroom if your kids don't like it. Otherwise a power packed, nutritious food is just a few minutes away.

Ingredients :
Courtesy: Mummy Ka Magic
(Makes 10)

Soya bean chunks 36 medium sized
Button Mushrooms 6
Green peas 1 1/2 cups
Potato 2 cups, boiled and mashed
Onion 3, medium
Garlic 2tsp
Pepper 2 tsp
Oregano or Italian mixed herbs 3/4tsp, (Optional)
Bread crumbs, 1 cup or more for coating

Method:

Pour boiling water over soyabean in a bowl, let it soak for 10-15 minutes. Drain and squeeze them nicely. If there's any moisture left behind, there's a chance to break while frying.

Mince soya beans, mushroom and greenpeas together in a grinder or foodprocessor. Keep it aside in a bowl.

Make a paste of onions. Heat oil in a pan and saute in garlic for few seconds . Add onion paste to it. Saute till the paste leaves sides of the pan. Add spices to it.

Add this paste into the soya mixture. Mix in breadcrumbs nicely. Take a handful of mixture and make patties out of it. Coat breadcrumbs and shallowfry this in little oil.

If you want to freeze, follow the same procedures I followed in freezing Meat Cutlets.

Linking this to Back 2 School Event hosted by me

Healthy Breakfast Event

Chocolate Maltesers Cake

It always feel good when you have someone to take care of you; someone who enquires whether you had your food or not from time to time; someone who cares about your sleep, health etc. No matter how old we are- we are still children for our parents; and they remain our parents forever.  I got to stay and spend some time with them last week and those days were awesome. We rarely get a chance to be a child at this stage of life when we have to be and act like a matured mom who never does a mistake and who is always right atleast infront of their kids.  To get pampered is a girl's/lady's fundamental right; Isn't it? ;)

It felt like suddenly we fell back into 90s where we stayed together with sisters and bro. The only difference was that my younger sister was not there and we missed her terribly. 

This cake is made by my sister, Hanan on her son's birthday and tasted awesome. The flavor of horlicks blended together with chocolate and maltesers on top was all in all a good combination and melted in mouth within seconds. What all you need ?!
 Ingredients:

Eggs 3
Brown sugar 150g
Caster sugar  100g
Milk              175g
Unsalted butter 15g
Horlicks powder 2 tbsp
Plain Flour 175g
Cocoa powder 25g
Baking powder 1 tsp
Baking soda 1/2 tsp

Icing:

Icing sugar 250g
Cocoa powder 1 tsp
Horlicks 45 g
Unsalted butter 125g, at room temperature
Maltesers chocolate to decorate


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Butter and line two 8"cake tins with baking sheets.
3. Whisk together eggs and sugars until light and frothy.
4. Heat the milk, butter and horlicks powder in a small saucepan until the butter has melted and the mixture is hot but not boiling.
5. Beat the milk mixture into the eggs a little at a time.
6. Fold in the dry ingredients thoroughly.
7. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins and bake in oven for 25 minutes, till risen and will spring back when pressed gently.
8. Let them cool on a rack for about 5-10 minutes and then turn them out of their tins.

Icing:

1. For the icing, put the icing sugar, cocoa and horlicks in the processor and whizz to remove all lumps.
2. Add the butter and process again.
3. Stop, scrape down, and start again, pouring the boiling water down the funnel with the motor running until you have a smooth butter cream.
4. Sandwich the cold sponges with half of thebutter cream and then ice the top with what is left, decorate with Maltesers.