Courgette Spagetti/ Courgetti

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Courgette spaghetti or Courgetti as it is known here. ( One of my American friends informed me it known in the US as Spoodles, spaghetti/noodles :D ) I saw this recipe in a Healthy eating magazine as an alternative to pasta. I thought I would give this a try and see how it goes, would I substitute it for pasta? No, however this is a delicious dish in its own right, so flavourful and bursting with freshness! I really enjoyed cooking this, as well as eating! You can cook with any ingredients you wish, I decided to go for the fresh flavours of the Mediterranean. It doesn't take long at all. It can be eaten as a yummy lunch, light dinner or as a side dish. Either way I am sure you will enjoy! Give it try and see for yourself.

Ingredients

3 Courgettes
10 sundried tomatoes from a jar
10 roasted peppers from jar
4 tbsn of Olive oil
1 Small bag of fresh basil chopped up
Handful of pine nuts
Salt and black pepper to taste.

Method

1. Cut courgettes into thin strips till you reach the seeds. ( To do this I used a tool that looks like a peeler but actually juliennes, if you do not have you can grate using the thick side of grater)
 Do not throw away the inside of the courgettes as this will be used in the sauce.

Keep this part to add to the sauce.

2. Next heat 2 tbsn of olive oil in pan and add the courgetti and cook for about 2 minutes on high heat. We do not want to fully cook the courgettes but just enough to keep a good crunch. Remove and set aside.

3. Heat the remaining oil in same pan and add the sundried tomatoes, peppers and inside of the courgettes. Cook till the pulp of courgettes has softened which should take about 5 minutes. Then add you chopped up basil leaves. Cook for another 2 mins and then add your courgetti.

4. Cook all together for a few more minutes making sure the sauce covers all the courgetti.
5. In small frying pan toast the pine nuts until golden brown, making sure to not burn.
6. Finally, dish up your courgetti into a plate, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Mushroom pie

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

With Autumn fast approaching, nothing beats a hearty midweek supper. Chicken and mushroom pie is a classic dish. There really is no one set recipe for this, everyone has their own version and preference with ingredients. This version of mine is made with Shittake mushrooms which give this pie a really meaty flavour. So give this a try and see for yourself, add or omit as please, you can add carrots and spinach also, great way of getting vegetables into your meals.

Ingredients

3 lbs boneless chicken ( I used Chicken Thigh as it is more tender and flavourful )

1 bunch of spring onion

3 x 125g tub Shittake Mushrooms

2 cups of frozen peas

50g of butter 

1 tbsn of sunflower oil

5 tbsn of cornflour

1 tub of mascarpone cheese

Knor vegetable stock pots 

2 packets of Just Roll puff pastry

1 egg

1 egg white

2 tbsn garam masala 

Salt to taste (Be careful as stock cubes already have salt so add little to begin with)

2 tspn black pepper

Ceramic blind baking beans or you can use lentils or rice.

Method

1. Heat pan and melt butter and oil together. Add chicken and brown well. Add 1 tspn salt and garam masala. When it has browned add 2 tbsns of cornflour and cook well together this chicken is well coated. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. In same pan add your chopped spring onions and cook till soft, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook well till they soften also ( If need be add a touch more oil ) next add the chicken back into pan and mix well. Followed by the peas. Cook together for about 3-4 mins.

3. Now add the remaining cornflour and combine, followed by the vegetable stock pots or stock cubes.

4. When mixed well add your mascarpone cheese, black pepper and mix.

5. Now add two cups of hot water mix together and cook till it reaches a loose creamy consistency. Check seasoning especailly salt and add if needed. Then set aside and allow to cool.

5. Next take you puff pastry and roll out to size of dish. Then place parchment paper over it and add in your ceramic blind baking beans or if you don't have them add lentils or rice, this is to weight the pastry and make sure sure it does not shrink during cooking process. This is called blind baking. Please note the rice or lentils being used will not be ok to cook, but you can store and put away for blind baking next time.

6. Bake at gas mark 4 for about 20-25 mins, then take out and coat with egg white, this will seal the bottom pastry, put back in oven and cook for another five minutes.

7. When pastry is done, pour the chicken and mushroom mixture over pastry.

8. Now roll out other puff pastry and place on top of the pie. Push or crimp sides and coat with egg wash. Place into oven at same temperature and cook till golden brown.

9. Remove from oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Bil-hana wa ash shif'a!

Enjoy!

Chicken Palak (Chicken & Spinach)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Chicken Palak

Chicken Palak (chicken spinach) has always been a favourite dish in my mothers household and now also in my own. The combination of greens such as spinach, dill and dried fenugreek give this curry a strong earthy flavour. The aromas waft all through the house leaving hungry mouth salivating!

Be sure to give this yummy recipe a try.

Ingredients

3lbs of boneless chicken
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of ginger
3-4 medium onions
Half can of chopped tomatoes
3 cans of spinach leaves (You can use fresh if you prefer, cans just save time)
1 whole cup of chopped dill
Half cup of dried fenugreek leaves ( You can use fresh if you prefer)
3-4 green chilies
2-3 tspn salt
2 tspn chili powder
2 tspn of garam masala
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tspn turmeric powder
5 tbspn Oil or ghee 

Method

 1. Grind the onions to a paste (to make easier add a few tablespoons of water to help it grind better)
when water dries up add the garlic and ginger and continue cooking until all water has evaporated.

2. Add the chicken and cook till browning, then add the chopped tomatoes, spices and salt.

3. Stir till well mixed, cover and leave till chicken releases its own juices.

Chicken releases its own water when cooking

4. Now turn heat up and cook on high till water evaporates. When water has dried up add your spinach and combine well.

5. Cook for a about 5 minutes then add your dill mix together well. When adding the dried fenugreek leaves make sure you remove any stalks as they do not cook through.

Dried fenugreek leaves, remove stalks as can be seen in this picture above.

Fresh Dill added to the chicken give a delightful flavour and aroma!

6. Now cook for a good ten minutes for about 10 minutes until all water has evaporated. Then chop up green chilies and mix in.

7. If you wish the curry to be more saucy add about 2 cups of warm water and cook till it reaches you desired consistency.

Serve with freshly made chapatis or plain Basmati rice. Enjoy!!

Bil-hana wa al shifa'a!

Zeera Aloo

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Zeera Aloo (Cumin infused Potatoes) is a perfect side dish, with its subtle flavour and simplicity. It is quick and easy to make needed very few ingredients. This dish can also be used to jazz up a other recipes such as fish pie or any kind of gratin.

Ingredients

8 medium Potatoes

2 tspn Cumin seeds

1 tspn cumin powder

1-2 tspn chilli flakes

2 tbsn ghee or sunflower oil

Half a cup of fresh coriander

Method

1. Peel potatoes and slice thinly. Leave aside.

2. Heat ghee or oil in pan and add cumin seeds, cook till seeds release their aroma.

2. Add sliced potatoes to the pan and cook on high heat ensuring all the potatoes are coated in ghee and cumin seeds.

 3. Now add the cumin powder and chilli flakes and mix well.

4. Cook on high heat so that the potatoes begin to crisp slightly and brown at the edges. They will not take long to cook as they are thinly sliced. Sprinkle in the fresh coriander.

 

5. Serve warm with any meat or fish dish.

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)

Mucver (Zucchini Fritters)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini grated
4 tbsp spring onions (white parts), finely chopped
4 tbsp dill finely chopped
4 tbsp parsley finely chopped
4tbsp fresh mint
200g(7 oz) feta cheese crumbled
1 cup whole wheat flour sifted
2 eggs
1 tsp red chilli flakes
1tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
olive or vegetable oil for frying

Method:
Grate zucchini and put into a bowl, sprinkle with quite a bit of salt and side aside for about 15mins.
( This is to extract the water from zucchini)
In the meantime, chop spring onions coarsely and put into bowl, crumble in feta cheese, add chopped dill, parsley add black pepper and chilli flakes. ( feta cheese will have enough salt in it but taste and see if you would like to add more) then add in sifted flour and eggs. Mix well.
Now take the grated zucchini and really squeeze well with hands to remover excess water, make sure you do this part well. Once done add to rest of the mixture and combine well.
Then shallow fry on both side till golden brown. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serve warm or cold with Greek yoghurt.

Mucver (Zucchini Fritters)