Re: iftari with a twist
Okay you asked...here I go :p
Make mini sandwiches. Here is recipe I use, marinate chicken breast in olive oil, salt and pepper, and dried thyme. Bake or grill. Get some good sandwich bread; layer it with mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, black olives, romaine lettuce and your favorite cheese. After I’m done assembling the sandwich I usually put it under the broiler until the cheese melts and the sandwich bread is slightly toasted. Since it’s for itari cut the sandwich into small portions.
You can make all sorts of sandwiches; Mozzarella, tomato and bail sandwiches, a grilled vegetable sandwich, gilled cheese sandwiches…etc.
Buy cheese or spinach ravioli from the grocery store, and follow the cooking directions on the back. After you are done and transfer it to a dish…. top it off with 2 table spoons of each… fresh parsley, black olives and sun dried tomatoes. Buy a jar of marinara sauce and Alfredo, so your guests can pick what sauce they want with their ravioli.
Parmesan French Fries, Peel 5 potatoes and cut into half-inch thick slices (lengthwise) cut again into 1/2-inch thick fries. Put the potatoes into a pot with water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring up to a boil and simmer until a knife tip goes through easily, so cooked about 3/4 of the way through.
Drain carefully and put in a bowl. Add olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Toss well and lay out in 1 layer on nonstick baking sheet. Bake until light brown.
When brown, sprinkle with parmesan and continue to bake until browned and crispy and the cheese is melted and caramelized, about 6 to 7 more minutes, remove and serve.
Instead of traditional chaat you can make pasta salad, egg salad, or potato salad.
Here are some tried and tested recipes from the food network.
Cesar salad chicken wraps
4 (6-inch) tortillas
12 ounces grilled chicken breast, cubed (about 2 large breasts)
2 cups cooked black beans
4 cups shredded lettuce (mixture of romaine and green leaf)
4 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
4 tablespoons roasted red peppers
Warm tortillas over a gas flame, in a low temperature oven, or in the microwave. In the middle of each tortilla, place 3 ounces grilled chicken, 1/2 cup black beans, 1 cup lettuce, feta, and red peppers. Top with Caesar dressing and roll up. Serve immediately.
Okay now this recipe looks horrible long but its not….well worth it ( mhmm)….definitely half everything in size especially if your cooking for a few people. It’s grilled kabob (not desi) with yogurt sauce and pita bread.
Yogurt sauce:
2 cups plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Onion salad:
1 pound red onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Meatballs:
2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups grated onion
2 minced garlic cloves
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (if you don’t have fresh thyme you can use 1 TEAspoon of dried thyme)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Olive oil for brushing
6 pita breads, warmed
Sliced tomatoes
Make yogurt sauce:
Place the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Fold in the mint and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Make the onion salad:
Place the onion slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss and let stand for 15 minutes. Rinse well and pat dry. In a bowl, combine the onions, parsley, coriander, and turmeric. Toss well and set aside.
Preheat the grill or broiler.
In a bowl, combine the beef, onions, garlic, eggs, thyme, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix until mixture holds together well. Form into twelve 3-inch ovals, about 1 1/2-inches wide and thread them onto skewers.
Brush the meatballs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the skewers on an oiled grill rack or broiler pan and grill or broil, turning to brown on all sides, until cooked through.
Remove the skewers from the grill or broiler and slip the meatballs off the skewers. Cut the pitas into halves and place a meatball into each half. Serve with the yogurt sauce, onion salad, and tomato slices on the side
good luck cutie…I’ll post some more later.
