Lassi with Coconut and Mango

Lassi with Coconut and Mango

A cool Pakistani yogurt drink and perfect accompanied to any Pakistani meal.

Ingredients

2 ripe mangos, peeled and chopped (or tinned mango or tinned mango pulp)

300ml Coconut milk

325ml Natural yogurt

2 tsp sugar

Method

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blitz. Pour into glasses and add some ice cubes. Lassi is supposed to be thick and creamy, however if you find it a little too tick you can let it down with a little water.

Read More

Pulau

Pulau

Ingredients

450g basmati rice

1 Medium onion, finely chopped

25g Butter, plus extra to serve

4 Cardamom pods

½ tsp Turmeric

8 Whole cloves

1 Cinnamon stick

Pinch saffron threads

2 Bay leaves

600ml Vegetable stock

Salt

Cooking Method

Rinse your uncooked rice under running water for a minute or so. Soak the saffron strands in a teaspoon of warm water, this will help them release their colour. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan and add the onion, cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the

spices, saffron and bay leaves and cook for a couple more minutes. The spices will give a wonderful fragrant flavour to the rice. Add the rice and stir until the grains are coated in the butter before stirring in the stock or water and salt. Bring to the boil and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. If the lid isn't very tight, cover the pan with aluminum foil before putting the lid on. Turn the heat down low and leave to cook for 10 minutes before turning off the heat. Don't remove the lid; just leave the rice to continue cooking in the pan for about 5 minutes until you're ready to serve. The rice should have absorbed all the water and will just need fluffing up with a fork. Add a knob of butter before serving.

Read More

Chicken Dopiaza

Chicken Dopiaza

Ingredients

450g chicken breast, chopped into 2.5 cm pieces

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

3 cardamom pods (whole)

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground fenugreek

3 tbsp groundnut oil

450 g onions, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

1 level tablespoon ground turmeric

1 level tablespoon freshly grated peeled root ginger

2 medium tomatoes, skinned and chopped

75 g creamed coconut

150 ml natural yoghurt

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Method

Place all of the spices into a small frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat and stir and toss them around for 1-2 minutes, or until they begin to look toasted and start to jump in the pan. Now transfer them to a pestle and mortar and crush them to a powder. Place 2 tbsp of the oil into a casserole dish or oven proof saucepan over a high heat, when it is really hot, brown the chicken pieces a few at a time. Cover the chicken and put on one side, then add the rest of the oil, fry the onions until well browned about 10 minutes, add the garlic and chili and cook for a further 2 minutes. Return the Chicken to the pan, add the crushed spices, fenugreek powder, turmeric, ginger and tomatoes and stir. Next grate the creamed coconut into a bowl add 275 ml boiling water whisking until it has dissolved, pour it into the casserole, followed by the yoghurt and some seasoning. Now bring the mixture up to a slow simmer, put the lid on the casserole and simmer very gently for 2 hours. Just before serving, add the lime juice and sprinkle over the chopped fresh coriander.

Chicken Dopiaza

Dopiaza does mean double onion. The caramelized onions lend a sweetness and depth to the flavor of the sauce. This dish also works particularly well with Beef.

Read More

Lamb Kofta

Lamb Kofta

Ingredients

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 tbsp Parsley, chopped

1 tbsp Coriander, chopped

1 tsp Mint, chopped

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Cumin seeds, crushed

½ tsp Fenugreek powder

½ inch Root ginger, grated

1/2 small red chili, deseeded

600g minced lamb

1 tbsp Ghee (this keeps the kebab moist and most of it will drain away, but if you prefer you can leave it out)

Pinch salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Method

Put the onion, parsley, coriander, mint, paprika, cumin, ginger, fenugreek and chilli into a food processor and puree. Season with a pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add lamb and ghee, whiz into a coarse paste, adding a splash of water if necessary.

Refrigerate for 4 hours, until firm. Shape meat into sausages and push onto the soaked skewers. Return to the fridge and allow to firm up again. Heat a griddle pan until hot and char grill the lamb koftas for 15-20 minutes or so, until cooked through.

Lamb Kofta

Wonderfully spicy and fragrant these koftas make an excellent starter served with salad and Chapatti. The amount of chili in this recipe will just give mild heat, so if you want more fire add a whole chili, more heat still leave the seeds in.

Read More

Vegetable samosas

Vegetable samosas

This is a vegetarian version which is spicy and flavorful without being hot, perfect with mango chutney.

Ingredients

225g Plain flour

4 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp Nigella seeds

500ml vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 Cauliflower, cut into tiny florets

2 Potatoes, peeled and chopped into tiny cubes

2 tsp Grated Root Ginger

4 tbsp Frozen peas

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tbsp raisins, soaked in water

1 tsp ground Fennel seeds                                                          

1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder

1 tsp Sugar

Cooking Method

To make the pastry, put the flour, Nigella seeds into a bowl and rub in the ghee with your finger tips. Add a pinch of salt and enough water to make a firm dough and knead until smooth. Cover with damp tea towel and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan and add the cauliflower, peas, carrots and potatoes. Gently fry for a few minutes until cooked through. Add the ginger, raisins, crushed fennel seeds, fenugreek and sugar to the pan. Season with a little salt. Stir well and let the mixture cook for a few minutes more. Remove from the heat and cool. Divide the dough into golf ball sized balls. Roll each one into a very thin oval shape, then cut into half to form 2 half moons. Brush a little water around the curved side with your finger, then shape into a cone.

Fill cone with vegetable mixture. Seal edges by pinching ends together, set aside and repeat with the rest. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer or deep saucepan to 180oC and fry the samosas in batches until golden, drain on kitchen paper and serve hot.

Read More

Spiced Beef with Mushroom

Spiced Beef with Mushroom
Ingredients
Beef 500 gm,cut into bite sized pieces
button mushroom 200 gm,
small onions 10
peas 100 gm
black pepper,freshly ground, 2 tbls
chili powder 1 tbls
garlic, 30 flakes,crushed
Tomato 6
clove 4
bay leaf 3
cinnamon 4
Chinese parsley (Cilantro) 1 cup
salt 2 teaspoon
green onion 2
green chili 4
ginger 1 inch piece
Method 

Grind 5 onions with about 15 flakes of garlic,pepper,salt and green chilies,add chili powder to this.Marinate beef in this for over 2 hours in normal temperature.In a wok,add oil and fry the remaining garlic and onion,add the spices and after a few minutes,add the beef with its sauce,cover the wok.Grind the

tomatoes and after some time ,add it to the beef.Pour little oil into another wok,add onions,chopped green onions,ground ginger and fry .Add quartered mushroom into this wok and fry till mushroom reduces in volume by little.Meanwhile the first wok,with beef must have cooked for atleast 20 minutes, and the

sauce must have reduced to half.Add the contents of the second wok and heat through for about 3 minutes.

Garnish with Chinese parsley. Serve hot with Nan or Bread.

Read More

CHICKEN WITH RICE

CHICKEN WITH RICE

Ingredients

1Kg. chicken, cut into serving pieces

200grams. butter or margarine

1Kg. Instant rice

1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 c. water

1 chicken cube

Cooking Method

Preheat skillet (medium heat), uncovered. Add butter or margarine and allow melting. Place chicken pieces into skillet and brown on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from skillet. Reduce heat to "simmer" and add rice. Combine soup, water and bouillon.  Pour 1/2 mixture over rice. Replace chicken pieces into skillet onto rice. Pour remaining soup mixture over chicken. Cover and simmer, 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done. 

Read More

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD DRESSING

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD DRESSING

Ingredients

2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. sesame seeds, roasted

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. oil

Cooking Method

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over salad just before serving. This is also a good marinade to pour over skinned chicken the night before grilling it. For the salad, prepare a green salad, with shredded cooked chicken. Sprinkle top with dry noodles.

Read More

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast fillets

1 pound chicken thigh fillets

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced celery

4 cups chicken stock

2 cups water

1 cup sliced carrot

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

2 cups egg noodles

Garnish

Minced fresh parsley

Cooking Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub a little vegetable oil over the surface of each piece of chicken and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven when it's done and set it aside to cool. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery in the saucepan for just 4to5minutes. You don't want to brown the veggies. Dice the chicken and add it to the pot along with the remaining ingredients, except the noodles. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft. Add the noodles and simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Serve with a pinch of minced fresh parsley sprinkled on top. 

Read More

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (Swanson is best)

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 cup water

1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, with liquid

1 cup frozen yellow cut corn

1 cup frozen cut green beans

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

1/2 cup diced Spanish onion

1/2 cup tomato sauce

6 corn tortillas, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

Pinch of garlic powder

Garnish

1 cup grated cheddar/jack cheese blend

1 cup crumbled corn tortilla chips

Cooking Method

Combine all the soup ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over high heat. Be sure to

Mince the corn tortillas into small pieces with a sharp knife before adding them to the soup.

Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the

soup has thickened and tortilla pieces have mostly dissolved. To serve soup ladle 1 1/2 cups into a bowl. Sprinkle a heaping tablespoon of the grated cheddar/jack cheese blend over the top of the soup, and then a heaping tablespoon of crumbled corn tortilla chips over the cheese.

If you like a soup that's packed with Vegetables, that's low in fat. This is the one for you. Just toss all the ingredients in a pot and simmer. Garnish with some shredded cheese and crumbled tortillas and prepare to take the chill off.

Read More

Garlic Potatoes

Garlic Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium/large russet potatoes

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3-4 cloves)

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup cream

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cooking Method

Bake the potatoes by first rubbing them lightly with oil and then baking them in the preheated oven for 1 hour until they are tender. Cool. Mash potatoes and remove about half of the skin. You want to leave the rest in. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and then add garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes while stirring often until garlic mashed potatoes are very hot. 

Read More

Conversion Calculations

Miscellaneous Units and Equivalents

Unit	Equivalent
Drop	1/96 tsp, 1 tsp = 60 drops
Dash	1/16 tsp (less than 1/8), also 8 drops liquid
Pinch	1/16 tsp (less than 1/8)
Dram	1/8 ounce, 8 drams = 1 ounce, 4 drams = 1 tbl
Gill	1/2 cup, 1/4 pint, 4 fluid ounces
Peck	8 quarts (dry measure)
Bushel	4 pecks
Jigger	1 1/2 fluid ounces (3 tbl)
Fifth	1/5 gallon
1 standard Coffee Scoop	1/8 cup, 2 tbl
1 stick Butter	1/2 cup or 1/4 lb
2 cups sugar	1 lb
1 lb	16 ounces

Conversion Calculations

Units to Convert	Calculation
Quarts to Liters	multiply Quarts by 0.94635
Pints to Liters	multiply Pints by 0.47311
Gallons to Liters	multiply Gallons by 3.785
Fluid Ounces to Liters	multiply Fluid Ounces by .029573
Fluid Ounces to Milliliters	multiply Fluid Ounces by 29.573
Ounces to Grams	multiply Ounces by 28.35
Pounds to Grams	multiply Pounds by 453.59
Pounds to Kilograms	multiply Pounds by .45359
Liters to Quarts	multiply Liters by 1.056688
Liters to Pints	multiply Liters by 2.1134
Liters to Gallons	multiply Liters by 0.2642
Milliliters to Fluid Ounces	multiply Milliliters by 0.03382
Grams to Ounces	multiply Grams by 0.0353
Grams to Pounds	multiply Grams by .0022046
Kilograms to Pounds	multiply Kilograms by 2.2046

Read More

Dry or Weight Measurements

Dry or Weight Measurements

Unit	Equivalent	Metric
1 ounce	1/16 pound	30 grams (28.35 g)
2 ounces	1/8 pound	55 grams (56.7 g)
3 ounces	3/16 pound	85 grams(85.05 g)
4 ounces	1/4 pound	113.4 grams
8 ounces	1/2 pound	226.8 grams
12 ounces	3/4 pound	340.2 grams
16 ounces	1 pound	454 grams (453.59 g)
32 ounces	2 pounds	907 grams (907.2 g)
1 kilogram	2.205 pounds / 35.2 ounces	1000 grams
1 gram	.035 ounce
100 grams	3.5 ounces
500 grams	1.10 pounds

Read More