Persian inspired Lamb chops

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I was shopping for organic Lavender online for baking purposes and came across dried rose petals, so what did I do? I bought them both! :) 

Ofcourse I had no idea what to do with rose petals other than use them for decorations, so I looked into it some more and found that  rose petals are used extensively in Persian cuisine for taste and decoration, also for beauty purposes and some medical conditions. So having looked at the way dried rose petals can be used I decided to grind them and use as a spice for marinating my lamb chops. along with some other spices too, and WOW did they turn out amazing! The dried rose petals add a delicate floral aroma and flavour to the meat. A  must try recipe if you wish to impress or just indulge in something that little more special :) 

Ingredients

2lbs lamb chops

6 tbsn dried edible rose petal ( grind in a spice grinder till very fine )

5 tbsn of Olive oil or ghee

1 tspn Turmeric

1 tspn Cumin powder

1 tspn Garam masala ( Click here for my garam masala recipe http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/my-homemade-garam-masala.html

1 tspn Cinnamon powder

1 and a half to 2 tspn salt 

3 cloves of garlic sliced or grated.

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsn of rosewater 

Dressing

3 red chillies ( remove seeds if you don't want it too spicy )

1 cup of fresh coriander chopped up

1 tbsn of dried mint

Juice of 1 lime

Half cup of olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Put lamb chop in a bowl and in all the ingredients and mix thoroughly making sure all the lamb chops are covered in the marinade. Cover with cling film and leave for a few hours or best overnight.

2. Pre-heat oven to highest temp, take the meat out of fridge and leave to come to room temperature. After about 10 mins, rub a little oil into a large baking dish and place the lamb chops on there.

3. Place the chops into the oven and cook for about 25 mins. Keep checking to make sure they are not over cooking as some oven cook quicker than others.

4. In the meantime make the dressing by adding all the ingredients for dressing to the oil and mix well, season according to your own taste. Leave aside to allow the flavours to marry.

5. Once the lamb chops have cooked remove and place in a serving dish, drizzle over the dressing and serve immediately.

Juicy and succulent!

Serve with a salad or Vermicelli Rice. Click here for link to that recipe http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/vermicelli-rice.html

Serving suggestion, Persian Lamb chops with Vermicelli Rice

Keema Kitchri

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

This recipe was given to me by my wonderful Sister in Law. I love this dish, it's so much fun to make and you can experiment with so many different ingredients, every time I have made it I have used different spices. It is a versatile dish, you can serve on its own accompanied with cooling Cucumber Raita, or have as a side dish. Personally I prefer it as a meal on its own, as it is full of so many flavours and includes meat. But as with any rice dish choice is always yours!

Give it a try and see for yourself! :)

Keema Kitchri with Cucumber Raita

Ingredients

2 lbs mince meat (500g)

4 cups of rice (soaked for at least half hour)

1 cup of Toor daal (soaked for at least an hour)

Half cup of Ghee ( can be found at Asian grocery stores)

10 cups of water

2 medium onions

3 Black cardamoms

1 cinnamon stick

6 cloves

6 black  peppercorns

5 garlic cloves

2 Inch piece of ginger

Salt (to taste) but maybe around 2
1 tbsn cumin seeds

1 tbsn ground cumin

1 tbsn ground coriander seeds

1 tbsn fennel seeds

1 tbsn Ras el hanout ( Moroccan spice mix, you can omit if you do not have)

1 tsn Five spice

3 Tbsn salt or to taste

5 spring onions

2-3 limes

Method

1. Wash and soak rice in bowl for at least half hour, do the same with the daal, set aside. Next cook onions in ghee on high heat till nicely browned. Add cumin seeds. Keep stirring to avoid burning.

2. Have the lid of pan ready for this part as onions will splatter! Add half cup of water to pan and immediately cover, it will steam a lot and sizzle, this is normal, give pan a little swirl. It should look like the picture below.

3. Now add the garlic and ginger and all the spices except for the Ras el hanout. Cook for a few minutes until the spices release their aroma, if spices begin to stick to pan add about 2 tbsn of water. Cook till mixture begins to dry.

4.  Once mixture has dried add the daal and cook well for about 10 mins.

5.When daal is tender add mince meat and the ras el hanout, cook well till browned through.

7. Now drain the rice carefully and add to the meat mixture, mix gently to ensure the rice is evenly coated.

8. Now pour in the water and gently mix through

9. bring to boil and then turn down low and cover, after about 5 mins or so check and gently stir.

Rice will begin absorbing the water.

10. Cover and leave until water has almost all absorbed, then take a dish cloth and wet it, cover the top of rice and place lid on top, underneath place a heat diffuser, or alternativley you can put into oven. This is called the 'dum' process whereby the rice cooks and fluffs up.

Heat diffuser, can be bought from Lakelands

Covered with wet clean cloth

11. Leave for another 5 minutes, them turn off heat and remove the cloth and diffuser. Leave for another 5 mins before opening lid.

12. After lid has been removed take a fork and gently fluff rice. Do not be too hard as rice will break.
13. Serve Keema Kitchari with Garlic, mint and cucumber Raita, and some lemon or lime wedges, and sprinkle with spring onions.

For Raita recipe, click link below.

http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/garlic-mint-and-cucumber-raita.html

 

 

Enjoy!

Bil hana wa as-shifa!! :)

Shahi Lamb Qorma

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shahi Lamb Qorma. Many dishes in the subcontinent are century old and were inspired buy cuisines from other counties. This Qorma owes it's ancestral inspiration to Persian food. It was a recipe cooked often in the Palaces of Mughal Kings. Shahi literally means Royal and with its rich creaminess and hearty flavours, this Mughlahi dish is definitely is a dish fit for a King!!

 

Shahi Lamb Qorma

What your beautiful selves will need:

Ingredients

2lbs boneless lamb
3 medium onions sliced
10 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
8 green chilies
5 tbsn of slithered almonds
2 tbsn of pine nuts
1 tbsn of white poppy seeds.
2 cups of double cream
10 Cardamoms
6-7 cloves
2 inch piece Cinnamon stick
3 tspn of Ground Black cumin seeds (Shahi zeera)
2 tspn ground coriander
1 tspn garam masala
2 tspn of green chilies
Pinch of saffron
half cup of pine nuts
7 tbsn of ghee or sunflower oil
2 Cups of chopped Coriander

Method

1. Put garlic and ginger into blender and add half cup of water, grind to a paste.
2. Next add into this paste the almonds, pine nuts and poppy seeds blend again to a paste, add a little more water to loosen up if needed.

Slithered Almonds, White Poppy Seeds and Pine Nuts.

3. In a heavy pan add 4 tbspn of ghee or oil and brown meat in batches. ( Do not add meat all at once or it will stew rather than brown) Once nicely browned remove and set aside.

4. In same pan add remaining ghee or oil and cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon, saute until they release an aroma, when this happens add the onions and cook till they are dark golden brown in colour.

Camera didn't pick up colour too well but onions were actually darker than this.

5. Now pour in the garlic, ginger and nut paste and mix well, cook for about 3 minutes and then add your spices and salt. Mix well.
6. When sauce is well combined and slightly dried add the browned meat and cook well so that all the meat is coated in the sauce. Turn heat down low and allow to cook for a few minutes.

7. Meanwhile in a pot add the double cream and heat up, then add the saffron and let it infuse for a few mins.

8. Pour the cream into the meat and mix well for about 3-5 minutes.

9. Now add a cup of warm water and combine, cover and leave to cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes or until meat is cooked. Keep checking and stirring every 5-10 minutes as creamy sauces burn easily. You will see by the end the fat will separate from the sauce. You may if you wish discard this, but I would recommend you leave it as it adds to the flavour of Qorma.

You can see fat separate from the sauce in above photo.

10. Qorma should be a thick creamy texture but if you wish for it to have more sauce then simply add water and cook to desired consistency. Add Coriander.

Serve with Chapatis or Basmati rice

Bil-hana wa ash shifa'a!

Cannellini beans with Lamb and Eggplant

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I do love a hearty stew and this is one of my favourites, it is Turkish inspired and has my most favourite vegetable, the eggplant/aubergine. Add this veggie to any dish and I'm in love! I used Cannellini beans for this recipe but you can use any bean you wish, also if you want to make this a vegetarian dish simply omit the meat. This really is a quick simple recipe, yet unbelievably flavourful. Do give it a try!

Cannellini Beans with Eggplant and Lamb

Here is what you will need.

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless lamb
3 eggplants
3 cans of cannellini beans
3 large onions
2 long red peppers
Salt to taste
1 tspn garam masala
2 tspn black pepper
Red chili flakes
5 cloves of garlic crushed
1 cup of Olive oil
2 tbspn of Ghee ( Clarified butter, can be found in Asian groceries)

Method

1. Chop the eggplant into cubes and fry in some of the olive oil until the brown. Set aside.

2. Add some ghee to pan and brown meat on high until it releases own juices. Add in crushed garlic black pepper and garam masala.

3. Now add the chopped peppers and tomatoes. Stir well and then add one cup of warm water and cover and let simmer for about 30 mins.

4. In the meantime brown onions in a separate pan ( You can add onions in the beginning before the meat but I prefer it this way as fried onions add more flavour later on in the cooking process) Add onions to the meat when the 30 mins are up.

5. Let this all cook together for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Next add the eggplant and cannellini beans and combine well. Let this simmer so that the flavours of all the ingredient can infuse.

7. Add 2 cups of warm water and bring to boil, when boiling turn heat down and let it simmer for around 20 minutes so that it all looks well combined and there is enough sauce.

8. Serve with warm crusty bread or pilaf

Serving suggestion; serve with Orzo Pilav

For the Pilaf with Orzo recipe click link below.

 http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/pilaf-with-orzo.html 

Bil-hana wa as-shifa'a

( May you have your meal with gladness and health)

Eggplant meatball casserole

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

This recipe is a combination of two yummy Turkish recipes, Sahan Köfte and Köfteli Patlıcan Sarma. I wasn't sure which to cook as i love them both, so I thought...Hey! why not have best of both recipes!? So I did just that. :)

Here is what you will need.

Ingredients

2lbs mince lamb
2 medium onions grated
2 sliced white bread crust cut off
(Soaked in bread and then milk squeezed out)
4 garlic cloves
2 eggs
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tspn garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsn red pepper flakes
7-8 small eggplants
8 long green Turkish peppers (remove seeds if you wish for it not to be too spicy)
2-3 Green bell peppers
5 large tomatoes
5 potatoes
Fresh parsley ( 2 cup)
Sunflower oil 1 cup ( you can use more if needed)
8-10 tbsn of flour

For the sauce

3 cans of chopped tomatoes
Olive oil
2 tspn Garam masala
3-5 crushed garlic cloves

Method

1. Pre heat oven to gas mark 6.

2. Place mince lamb into bowl, add the grated onions, bread, garlic, eggs, cumin and garam masala, salt to taste, half of the parsley and red pepper flakes. Combine really well and leave to marinate for at least an hour.

3. Make into long meatball shape, when done dredge each one in the flour and shallow fry until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

 

4. Next take the eggplant and cut length ways, and shallow fry till golden brown.

 

5. When eggplants have cooled to touch begin to assemble by wrapping each meatball kebab with a slice of eggplant.

Time to assemble.

Wrap each kofte with eggplant slice.

Place a slice of tomato and Turkish pepper on top of each kofte.

Place potatoes and bell peppers between each kofte.

6. Now to make the sauce heat up a 4 tbsn of olive oil and heat, add one clove of garlic and when you can smell garlic add canned chopped tomatoes, 1 tspn of garam masala and 3 cups of hot water. Cook until it has reduced slightly and then pour over the casserole.

7. Cook in the oven for at least 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Serve with delicious bulgar pilaf.

For Bulgar Pilaf recipe click link below.

http://roosfoodfusion.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/bulgar-pilaf.html

Enjoy! :)

Kashmiri Lamb Roghan Gosh

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Ingredients

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
( grind the following spices in a grinder)
7 black peppercorns.
3 black cardamom pods.
5 green cardamom pods.
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 piece mace

1 onion, finely chopped
1 (1 1/2-pound) leg of lamb or mutton. ( I use boneless as easier for children to eat but you can keep on bone, more flavour)
6 garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut in half


2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
2 tomatoes, blended to a pulp in a food processor
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
Salt
Boiling water, as needed
Handful chopped fresh coriander

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan, medium heat. Add the ground black peppercorns, black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and mace, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spices are sizzling and fragrant. 

Add the chopped onion, and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until golden brown. Add the lamb pieces, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continually, until the lamb pieces are golden brown all over.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the garlic cloves, and ginger, with 1 tablespoon of water to make a paste. Add this to the lamb mixture, stir well to combine, and then reduce the heat, and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the ground spices, coriander, cumin, red chile powder, fennel seeds, garam masala, tomato pulp, yogurt, and salt, to taste. Cover the pan with a lid, and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sauce has almost completely dried out.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of boiling water to the sauce, stir well and simmer for a further 7 to 8 minutes, stir continually and add splashes of water when necessary, until the volume of liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened. Should be able to see oil separate from sauce.

Then enough boiling water to almost cover the lamb, and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the lamb is cooked through.
It is best to leave consistency of sauce as in the pic above.

Sprinkle over fresh chopped coriander just before serving.
Serve with either basmati rice or nan bread. 😊

Kashmiri Lamb roghan gosh

Spicy Lamb Chops

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

10 Lamb Chops

For the first marinade:
2 tbsp garlic-ginger paste
1 tsp red chilli paste
1 tsp finely-chopped coriander roots
Juice of half a lemon

For the second marinade:
6 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
1-2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp finely chopped chillies
Salt, to season

Method
Place the lamb chops in a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients for the first marinade. Mix thoroughly. Set aside to marinate for half an hour.
Add all the ingredients for the second marinade and massaging into the lamb.
Allow  to marinate for a minimum of two hours or if you can overnight.
Preheat oven to 220 C Gas mark 7.
Place chops on to an oiled wire rack over an oven tray and roast for 6-8 minutes, basting regularly with the excess marinade till the lamb has cooked.
Leave to rest for 2 -3 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with coriander, and serve with lemon wedges.

Spicy Lamb chops