RICE WITH PINE KERNEL AND CURRANTS

RICE WITH PINE KERNEL
        AND CURRANTS

Rice pilaf is a very common dish  in Turkish Cuisine. There are cold and hot variations. It  serves with meat or chicken dish.
This recipe is a very good combination of  rice, pine kernel, currants and spices. Roasted turkey stuffed with this spicy rice is traditional  meal at New Year Eve dinner in Turkey. Usually chestnut and chicken livers are added. I will give this recipe another time.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups short grain rice
1 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, grated
2 tbsp. pine kernel
2 tbsp. currants
1 tsp allspices
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups chicken stock

Place rice in a bowl, cover with hot water and add 1tsp salt. Soak 30 minutes. Then drain and wash several times, drain
Heat the butter or oil in a pan , add grated onion and pine kernel. Stir and fry until onion and pine kernel turn brown. Now add the rice, stir and sauté the rice 3-4 minutes. Add allspices, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Stir 2 minutes more. Pour hot chicken stock , bring to boil. Cover tightly, turn heat very low and cook 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender. Let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes before to serve.

SECRET CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE

SECRET  CHICKEN
      WITH PINEAPPLE

Several years ago a friend of mine opened a small restaurant.  Their specialty was meat and chicken. My friend was looking for a new recipe . I prepared some marinade sauces and we selected one  of them.   It  was a big hit. Customers  loved it  and  they kept asking for the recipe. They did not tell their  trade secret! I  encountered this question many times, also I did not tell  anyone. We named this recipe SECRET CHICKEN.

Actually  it is a very simple  combination   and nobody could correctly guess the ingredients.This  maybe  because some of the  ingredients were not common in  Turkish  Cuisine. Unfortunately after many years of operation,  restaurant is now closed .It  does not need to be a 'secret ' anymore. I am delighted to share this recipe with my readers...enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
4 pieces chicken tights
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 fresh pineapple
1 tsp cinnamon

Cut  chicken tights into big chuncks. Wash and dry with kitchen towel. Mix ginger, ketchup, garlic, soya sauce and salt in a bowl. Add chicken pieces. Cover, refrigerate several hours or  overnight. Grill or cook in a non-stick frying pan adding 1 tbsp. olive oil. Cook each sides until the chicken pieces well browned. Sprinkle cinnamon  sliced pineapple. Grill until turn brown. Serve with rice and grilled  pineapple .

 

 

 

 

Tips; thread  chicken pieces and pineapple onto skewers. Grill until chicken is tender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPICY GREEN LENTILS

SPICY GREEN LENTILS

 

 

 

 

 Turkey is one of the lentils producer countries in the world. Lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber. There are several different varieties...from yellow and red to green, brown and black.  They may be sold whole or split halves .

Lentils are quick and easy to prepare, they do not need to be soaked. The trick is to wait to add salt until the lentils are done cooking. Salt can cause the lentils to stay crunchy.

I cook lentils at least ones a week, as  salad, soup, lentil balls or main dish like this recipe. Lentils is the best if cooked with spices.

 

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups green lentils, washed and drained

4 cups water

1/2 lb /250g  ground beef/ minced meat (optional)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 Tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup hot water

 

 

Put lentils in a saucepan, pour in water. Bring to boil, simmer 10-15 minutes. And drain. 

Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan, add ground meat, stir and fry  until  it is brown. Add chopped onion, stir 5 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili powder. Continue to stir, add tomato paste  . Add lentils and  hot water.  Bring  to  boil, cover. Turn heat low and simmer. Cook 20 minutes until lentil is tender. Just few minutes before end of cooking time add salt. Add hot water as needed.

It can be cooked without meat. Heat vegetable oil , add onion and follow the above recipe .

Serve with rice and salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 



GUACAMOLE SAUCE WITH MEAT BALLS

GUACAMOLE SAUCE
WITH MEAT BALLS

 



 

I like Mexican food, it is colorful, tasty and exotic. Mexican cuisine is one of well known and reach cuisines in the world.  Generally it  is known by very hot food. But it doesn't need to be very hot when the food is spicy. Cumin, coriander, cinnamon are favorite spices in Mexican cooking.  Tomatoes, avocados, pineapples, chillies and cocoa are all growing in Mexico. These products are very important in Mexican cooking.

My recipe is mixture of Turkish meat ball and Mexican tacos. It is a good chose for week end food.

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 lb- 500 g ground beef-minced meat
2 sliced white bread, soak in water
1 onion
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

FOR BEAN
1 can red Mexican bean
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup hot water


FOR SAUCE
2 ripe avocado
1 medium tomato
2 green-spring onions
1 Jalapeno pepper
1/2  cup fresh coriander-cilantro,
1 clove garlic
1  lime juice
1 tsp salt

FOR TOPPING
1green pepper
1 red pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
yogurt
grated cheese

pita bread

Place meat, onion, cumin, pepper, salt and bread in a food processor. Mix well, make fat finger shape meat balls. Keep in the fridge until the others get ready.
Drain red beans, put in a pan add ketchup, cumin, salt and hot water. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes.
For the sauce  place avocado, tomato, onion, garlic, pepper, coriander, lime juice and salt in a food processor, proses 1-2 minutes , do not over mash. Transfer sauce in bowl and cover with  stretch film.
Cut red and green pepper into small cubes, saute  them with 1 tbsp. oil.
Heat a non-stick pan , grease with 1 table spoon oil, fry meat balls.
Meanwhile  grease   another  non-stick pan   with oil  and heat over a low flame,  add  pita  breads. Fry 1 minutes both sides.
Serve pita bread topped with  beans,  meat balls, sauteed  pepper, cheese, guacamole sauce and yogurt.

STUFFED WHOLE CABBAGE

STUFFED  WHOLE CABBAGE

 

 

 

Cabbage is a well- known winter vegetable. It can be eaten cooked or raw...like salad, in soup, rolls with meat or rice.

Recently the health benefit of cabbage is on the agenda. Research of the result  is; very good for nutrition ( low fat and calories), powerful antioxidants( help protect cancer, reduce bad cholesterol LDL), rich in vitamins(C, B,K) and contains some minerals(potassium, magnesium, iron,) .

Cabbage roll- cabbage leaves stuffed with meat -  is common from Europe to Middle east. Basically all are the same, although there are some  difference  between  recipes  .  Making cabbage roll is a hard job, needs practice and long time. My recipe is for beginner and  lazy  cook. Believe me  cooking this way doesn't change the taste, just much more easy and practical. 

 

 

 

 



INGREDIENTS

1 small white cabbage head  2-21/2 lb
FILLING
500g/1 lb ground beef/ minced meat
3/4 cup short grain  rice
1  medium onion, grated
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp dry mint
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 red pepper flake
SAUCE
3 Tbsp red pepper paste or tomato paste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup hot water
1/2 tsp salt

Place the head of cabbage in a deep pot, cover with water. Bring to boil 10-15 minutes. Drain and let it cool.
Mean while prepare filling. Place meat in a bowl, add grated onion, well washed rice, vegetable oil, mint, red pepper flake, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Cut center from cabbage with a sharp knife carve out a cavity . Place 3/4 of the meat mixture between the leaves. Fill the hole with rest of meat mixture. Cover the top  with a leaf  of  cabbage.  Turn  it down. Place  in a saucepan.

Mix red pepper or tomato paste, vegetable oil, hot water and salt. Pour over the cabbage, cover. Bring to boil and then reduce the heat, simmer  20-25 minutes or until cabbage is soft and rice is cooked.

SAVORY MUFFIN

SAVORY  MUFFIN

 

 





I have been baking this cake for many years, even I do not remember where or when I have found it.
I was baking it into a loaf pan. I tried to bake it into muffin pan, it was successful. I prefer muffin pan because much more easy to serve.
I gave this recipe to one of my German friends. She complained to not get good result. We baked it together when she was visiting us. We measured all ingredients again and again.  Still I do not know what was wrong,  I can say only -difference of flour. She said hers was more runny then mine. If you have the same problem add more flour until the mixture gets consistency of cake batter.



INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup yogurt
4 cups self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup seeded and  sliced black olives
1 cup cubed tomatoes
1 cup cubed green pepper
1/2 tsp baking powder

Cut tomatoes into wedges , discard seeds and chop into cubes. Cut green peppers half, discard seeds and membranes and chop into cubes.
Combine eggs, vegetable oil, salt and yogurt, mix well. Add flour , one cup at a time.  Add tomatoes, green pepper and black olives, mix. Divide cake mixture among 12 muffin pan holes or well greased loaf pan. Bake in 180C/375F about 25-30 minutes.
TIP.  wholewheat flour works well with this recipe

SPICY ROAST CHICKEN

SPICY ROAST CHICKEN

 

 

 

 

Spices and herbs have been used to flavor food for thousands of years in India. India is a large country . Indian food has many regional variations in climate, custom and religion. Generally the food is mild in the North, it gets hotter and spicier the further south. The North is bread-eating , cooking fat is butter - ghee, the South is rice-eating  , use oil instead of ghee. On the east coast food is again  different , more fish and sea food. Mustard seed and oil are popular.  

I'm sure you will enjoy Indian Cuisine if you like spicy food. It is possible to change measurement of spice, more or less. It depends on your taste.

On this recipe I prefer to stand the chicken over night. It makes more tasty.  

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken quarters or 8 chicken drumsticks

1 cup yogurt

1clove garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp -or more chili powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp salt

 

Place the ginger, onion garlic, chili powder , ground coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, curry powder, vegetable oil, lemon juice and salt in a bowl. Mix with the yogurt. Cover the chicken quarters with spicy yogurt mixture. Let it stand in the fridge at least 2 hours or over night.

Place chicken quarters into a ovenproof dish. Cook in a pre-heated oven , 200C/ 425F for 35-45 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked. Serve with rice pilaf and salad.