we hardly cook anything non desi …my husband loves desi food …n so do I…
but surprisingly …our children have different taste buds …they don’t like spicy food (ours is not that spicy but still)
so lately , i’ve been thinking to cook something non desi …just for a change …
but i don’t know what to cook …
i do like experimenting …but most of the times …i’m afraid of trying new stuff coz of whole halal haram issue …
i was thinking it as something educational for kids …
like for example …i try english food one day …n that day i tell them a story about england …n the culture of england …
then some day …chinese food …with stories from china n so on …!!!
tomato/ chicken soups
I cant think of anymore at the moment.
I dont have time to write out the recipes at the moment but if you would like the recipes I'll post.
i know roast chicken/lamb but roast veggies ...??? no idea!!
soups r already there ....!!!
we usully like everything ...not very picky ....though hubby is not fond o veggies ...but i think with a change in food ..he might like it
pies n pastries ...n rest ....i'll love to have trusted recipes !!
u know there r tons of websites but i want to try trusted ones!!:)
majestic...:)
yeah i'll love to try mid eastren ones too ....but dunno what to try n from where to start ....i don't even know some usual names which r among favourites in specific areas .....thats why i asked here...!!
care to share some of your favourites ....just names ...or any recommendations for websites ....???
Take large/medium size potatoes (the starchy fluffy when cooked variety like king edward)
peel and cut larger ones in half, they should be the size of a closed fist.
put in pan of cold water with salt and then bring to the boil and boil for ten mins
drain, and return the par boiled potatoes to the saucepan and put a tight fitting lid on it and hold the pan from the sides and hold the lid closed with your thumbs (hope that makes sense) and shake the pan up and down vigourously.
bash the potatoes inside about.
after a few shakes (3 or 4) open lid and you will find the potatoes have a floury coating of mashed potato.
take alarge frying pan and pour in about 2 cm or 1 inch oil and bring to a high heat
take a potato and put it in the hot oil and baste the potato with the hot oil, ie pour some hot oil over the top and after about a 30 seconds put the potato on a baking tray and do the rest in batches.
and put in a medium oven for about 45 mins or until done.
the potato will be crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.
If you dont want to go to too much trouble, peel potatoes put on baking tray and drizzle with oil.
take a packet of prozen/ chilled ready made puff pastry.
roll out and cut into circles using a saucer as a template. take 3 medium onions, or 2 large
chop into 1cm squares or smaller, fry in a little olive oil or butter on low heat so they dont colour but become opaque and soft.
take about 400grammes strong or medium chedder chop into small pieses or grate and mix with the cooled cooked onion and if you want add a a few drops (teaspoon ) worcester sauce and a few dashes of tabasco if you like , or about a teaspoon of paprika if you want to. salt and pepper
mix, and divide the mixture between 6 circles of pastry and brush the edges with egg, fold ove and squash down the edges and brush the whole thing with egg or milk and put in a pre heated oven at a tempreture shown on the pastry packet.
take a kilo of fresh ripe tomatoes cut in half lengthways, about 2 onions, cut into wedges, red peppers cut into large pieces, or red pointy peppers or the skinned peppers you get in jar,
put them all in a baking tray, take half teacup of olive oil, and fill up to the top with balsamic vinigar, add salt , pepper, bried basil, oregan (fresh or dried )and lemon thyme or ordiary thyme, miix it all together and pour over the veg and cook for about half an hour till niceley roasted and the tops are a little brown and toasted.
this is delicious with roast chicken or meat, grilled lamb chops etc.
take a packet of mozzarella cheese and chop into small icm cubes and add a quarter of this cheeseto the pasta /veg and mix
great about 200gm chedder cheese (or other hard cheese taht melts nicely) add the mozzarella cubes
put pasta in in a deep oven proof dish and put the cheese mix on top
and put in the oven for half an hour in a medium oven till cheese melts
ok a truly "amrikan" dinner - Yankee Pot Roast....its kind of bland so I always try different things to spice it up a little but here's the plain version
Ingredients:
4-6 lb bottom round beef roast
2-3 tbsp olive oil
garlic, salt, pepper to taste
beef broth
6 carrots, sliced
6 potatoes, peeled and chunked or sliced
1 cup sliced celery
1 tbsp cornstarch
Wash the roast, press garlic into the sides, salt and pepper it on all sides. Brown it on all sides in the oil in a large pot. Add about 2 cups beef broth, bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and let simmer for about 3 hours or until meat is very tender. Add water as necessary - you want to have enough liquid to make gravy. Add remaining ingredients and let the veggies steam until tender. Remove meat and let it set for 20-30 min. Remove veggies and keep warm. Thicken the gravy with 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water. Slice the meat, serve with veggies and gravy.
Mo3 - I love this dinner (my favorite when I eat beef, once, twice a yr) and I can't get it here in PA the way they make it up in NE (mental thing most likely). I am getting a yearning now :) I love the au jus sauce more than anything.
kids LOVE this (my youngest goes berserk for it, i cant sit and eat some unless he's got a huge pile of it too)... and if its too bland for the adults, add some tabasco sauce or other fave spices...
Ingredients
1 to 1.5 lb chop meat (ground beef)
1 16 oz pkg elbow macaroni
1 stick of sharp cheddar cheese grated (about 2 cups)
1 16 oz can of crushed or chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup minced green or red pepper
beef broth 1 to 2 cups
Boil the elbow macaroni till desired tenderness. Drain and set aside. In the boiling pot, brown the ground beef till all the redness is gone. Add onion and green pepper, stir and fry till veggies are soft. Add tomatoes, 1 cup of beef broth and elbow macaroni. Stir and heat. Add cheddar cheese. Lower heat and allow cheese to melt. Add more broth if necessary. Stir and serve.
In a pan, cook minced meat with salt, a bit of soy sauce, and black pepper and a small amount of tomato paste. Set aside when cooked.
Grate lots and lots of mozarella cheese. Keep at room temperature
Make white sauce:
Put oil in a saucepan (about 2 tbsp) or you can use butter instead
On medium heat, cook 2 tbsp flour for a few minutes
Take off the stove and mix some milk into the flour and stir until there are no lumps
Place back on stove and pour more milk (there should be 2 cups of milk used in the sauce in total)
Whisk on medium heat until the mixture thickens
Take off the stove again and cool, break an egg into the sauce (if the sauce is hot, the egg will get cooked immediately and become lumpy), and whisk
Add salt and black pepper and red pepper if you prefer
Put back on stove and cook for a few minutes.
Boil macaroni, rinse with cold water and drain.
In a casserole dish, layer macaroni and the meat. Pour the white sauce over the whole thing and then the shredded cheese goes on top. Bake until the cheese melts on top and starts browning. Keep in there longer if you want the cheese cooked more.